Bible Strands
Matthew 24:39
And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples regarding the suddenness of His return, using the historical judgment of Noah’s generation as the immediate reference point.
The words — ἔγνωσαν (egnōsan) translates literally as “they knew,” and κατακλυσμὸς (kataklusmos) means “flood.”
The thread — The flood parallel runs directly to Matthew 24:37, which establishes the comparison between Noah’s days and the Son of Man’s coming, and echoes the warning in Acts 13:41 against scoffing at God’s work.
Why it lands — The text states that daily routines continued uninterrupted until sudden destruction arrived, demanding immediate readiness rather than complacent delay.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Cross-references
- John 3:20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
- Matthew 24:37 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
- Acts 13:41 ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”
- Proverbs 24:12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
- Isaiah 44:18 They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
- Proverbs 29:7 The righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.
- 2 Peter 3:5 But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
- Judges 20:34 Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them.
- Proverbs 23:35 “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
- Isaiah 42:25 So He poured out on them His furious anger and the fierceness of battle. It enveloped them in flames, but they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.