Matthew 10:23 · Bible study
Matthew 10:23 Commentary: Fleeing Persecution and the Son of Man
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What did Jesus mean by 'until the Son of Man comes' in Matthew 10:23?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus commands his apostles to flee persecution from city to city, assuring them that their mission in Israel will not be finished before the Son of Man comes (interpreted as the destruction of Jerusalem, Pentecost, or the final return).
- Key words: “Flee” (φεύγετε, present imperative, keep fleeing as a pattern); “complete” (τελέσητε, aorist subjunctive, will not have finished the circuit); “until” (ἕως ἄν, marks a terminus for the mission).
- Main debate: What event does “the Son of Man has come” refer to? Options: AD 70 judgment, Pentecost, Christ overtaking his disciples in their journey, or the second coming.
- Theological theme: The mission of God cannot be stopped by persecution; Christ’s intervention, in judgment or final glory, is both the goal and the safety of his messengers.
- Best use: To encourage Christians facing opposition to keep moving the gospel forward, trusting that history’s endpoint is in Christ’s hands, not in the hostility of any city.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come.
KJV King James Version 1769
But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And whenever they may persecute you in this city, flee to the other, for verily I say to you, ye may not have completed the cities of Israel till the Son of Man may come.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But when they persecute you in this city, flee to the other; for verily I say to you, Ye shall not have completed the cities of Israel until the Son of man be come.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And when they shall persecute you in this city, flee into another. Amen I say to you, you shall not finish all the cities of Israel, till the Son of man come.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas cuando os persiguieren en esta ciudad, huid á la otra: porque de cierto os digo, que no|strong="G3756, G3361" acabaréis de andar todas las ciudades de Israel, que no|strong="G3756, G3361" venga el Hijo del hombre.
Quando, então, vos perseguirem nesta cidade, fugi para outra; porque em verdade vos digo que não acabareis de percorrer as cidades de Israel, até que venha o Filho do homem.
Quand on vous persécutera dans une ville, fuyez dans une autre. Je vous le dis en vérité, vous n’ aurez pas achevé de parcourir les villes d’ Israël que le Fils de l’ homme sera venu.
Wenn sie euch aber in einer Stadt verfolgen, so flieht in eine andere. Wahrlich ich sage euch: Ihr werdet mit den Städten Israels nicht zu Ende kommen, bis des Menschen Sohn kommt.
Wanneer zij u dan in deze stad vervolgen, vliedt in de andere; want voorwaar zeg ik u: Gij zult uw reis door de steden Israels niet geeindigd hebben, of de Zoon des mensen zal gekomen zijn.
E quando vi perseguiteranno in una città, fuggite in un’altra; perché io vi dico in verità che non avrete finito di percorrere le città d’Israele, prima che il Figliuol dell’uomo sia venuto.
A gdy was prześladować będą w tem mieście, uciekajcie do drugiego; bo zaprawdę powiadam wam, że nie obejdziecie miast Izraelskich, aż przyjdzie Syn człowieczy.
Когда же будут гнать вас в одном городе, бегите в другой. Ибо истинно говорю вам: не успеете обойти городов Израилевых, как приидет Сын Человеческий.
有人在 這 城 裡逼迫 你們，就逃 到 那城裡去。 我實在 告訴 你們，以色列 的城邑，你們還沒有 走遍， 人 子 就到了。
But when they are cruel to you in one town, go in flight to another: for truly, I say to you, You will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 10:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the command to flee is not about cowardice but about furthering the gospel. Calvin calls it a command, not a mere permission, the apostles are to continue their mission with unabated zeal. Barnes notes that they were not to throw away their lives, yet must rather die than deny Christ. Gill emphasizes that the exhortation is to perseverance under persecution, not to escape it.
On the phrase “until the Son of Man has come,” views divide. Barnes, Wesley, and the Cambridge Bible connect it to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, when Christ “came” in judgment on the nation. Gill lists possibilities: the resurrection, Pentecost, or the judgment on Jerusalem. Lange suggests that the Son of Man would overtake them on their journey, while seeing a symbolic reference to the final coming. The consensus is that the mission to Israel was urgent and would not be completed before a decisive intervention by Christ, whether in history or at the end of the age.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70): Barnes, Wesley, and Cambridge connect ‘the Son of Man coming’ to Christ’s judgment on Jerusalem, citing parallels in Matthew 24, where the same phrase refers to the fall of the city (Matthew 24:30, 34).
- Resurrection / Pentecost: Gill lists these as possibilities, noting that the Son of Man was ‘declared to be the Son of God’ at the resurrection; Calvin also alludes to the outpouring of the Spirit as a coming of the kingdom.
- Christ overtaking the disciples on their journey: Lange and Heubner argue the verse means the Son of Man will catch up with them as they flee, so they never lack his presence; the mission continues until he personally intervenes.
- Second coming of Christ: Meyer and others take the coming as the final, visible return of Christ; Cambridge notes that the words ‘point to a more distant future’ beyond the first century.
What is clear: The mission to Israel was urgent and would not be completed before a decisive intervention by Christ — whether that intervention came in AD 70, at Pentecost, or awaits the final return, the promise assured the disciples that their labor was not in vain.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'flee' | Christians agree that Jesus commands flight in this context, not as cowardice but as a strategic redirection for the sake of the gospel mission. | Some traditions (e.g., Anabaptist) emphasize that flight must never compromise witness, while others (e.g., Reformation) stress that pastors should not abandon their flocks, exceptions exist, but the principle of preserving life for further service is widely accepted. |
| The scope of 'cities of Israel' | All agree this refers to the towns of Jewish Palestine during the apostles' first mission and, by extension, to the urgency of reaching Israel before a decisive judgment. | Whether the phrase also applies to the worldwide mission of the church before Christ's return is debated, some read it as strictly historical, others as a pattern for all ages. |
| The timing of 'the Son of Man has come' | Christians affirm that this coming is a real intervention by Christ, whether in history or at the end of the age. | Catholics and some Protestants (e.g., Cambridge Bible) see a primary reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70; others (e.g., Calvin, Lange) also allow for a reference to Pentecost, Christ's resurrection, or his final return, a range of views exists within orthodox Christianity. |
| Flight and pastoral responsibility | Leaders should not flee out of fear alone; the flock's welfare matters. | Wesleyans and Baptists often stress prudence, while Reformed writers (Calvin, Poole) caution that a hireling abandons the sheep in danger. The exact line between courageous stay and wise flight is drawn differently across traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Matthew 10 records Jesus sending the twelve apostles on a restricted mission: they are to go only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). The “cities of Israel” are Jewish towns throughout Palestine, not the Gentile world. Persecution from synagogue authorities and local councils was a real threat; Jesus had already warned of betrayal within families (v.21) and universal hatred (v.22).
Jesus himself modeled strategic withdrawal. When threatened, he withdrew (Matthew 4:12; 12:15), and an angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). Flight in this context is not abandonment of the faith but redirection of energy to places where the gospel can still be heard. The apostles were itinerant preachers, traveling light, dependent on hospitality.
The phrase “Son of Man” is Jesus’ characteristic self-designation, drawn from Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man receives an everlasting kingdom. By connecting the mission’s end point with the Son of Man’s coming, Jesus sets their preaching within a larger story: the vindication of God’s rule over Israel and the world. Some early hearers would have understood this as the judgment on Jerusalem that came in AD 70; others would look to the final resurrection. Either way, the apostles were to keep moving and preaching until that moment, a pattern that drove the early church from city to city across the Roman Empire.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no major variant that changes the meaning of Matthew 10:23 in the critical text. However, Adam Clarke observes that some manuscripts (fam. DL, eight others, plus versional and patristic witnesses including Athanasius, Tertullian, and Augustine) contain a longer reading: after “flee into another” they add “and if they persecute you in the other, flee into another.” This repetition intensifies the command to keep moving from city to city. Bengel and Griesbach favor its inclusion, but modern critical editions (NA28, UBS5) do not adopt it. The shorter reading is well supported; either way, the sense of relentless advance under persecution stands.
Reception History
Early church writers used Matthew 10:23 to navigate persecution. Augustine, writing to Honoratus during the Donatist controversy, argued that ministers should flee only when their departure does not betray the church, a qualification echoed by later commentators such as Matthew Poole. In the Reformation, Calvin treated the verse as a command to persevere in preaching, not a blanket permission to run. The Anabaptist tradition, facing severe persecution, drew comfort from the promise that the Son of Man would come, often understood as Christ’s spiritual presence with the fleeing believer. In the modern era, the verse has been used in missionary contexts to encourage strategic relocation when the gospel meets resistance. The variety of interpretations reflects the church’s ongoing struggle to balance prudence with boldness in the face of opposition.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Flee to advance the gospel. Jesus commands flight not as an act of fear but as a strategy to take the message where it can be heard. Calvin insists this is a command, not a permission, disciples must persist in preaching, not retreat into silence.
- The mission has a deadline. The apostles will not finish all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Their work is urgent because history is moving toward a breaking point, whether the fall of Jerusalem or the final appearing of Christ.
- Persecution proves the message matters. Opposition confirms Jesus’ prediction that the world would hate his followers. Endurance under persecution, paired with strategic flight, witnesses to the truth of the kingdom.
Five-point outline
- Persecution is certain: Jesus says “when they persecute you,” not “if.”
- Flight is commanded, not merely allowed: the disciples move from city to city, not for safety’s sake alone, but for the sake of those who have not yet heard.
- The mission is time‑limited: the coming of the Son of Man marks a turning point that will end this phase of outreach to Israel.
- The coming is sure: Jesus prefaces his statement with “Amen” (truly), underlining that God’s intervention is as certain as the persecution itself.
- The pattern persists: the same dynamic of flight and proclamation continues until Christ returns, as the church spreads the gospel through every generation.
Illustration hooks
- A relief worker who relocates from a closed region to an open one, redirecting resources without giving up the mission.
- A small business owner who moves to a new town after a hostile local climate, then serves the new community with the same skills and purpose.
- A long road trip with a fixed arrival time: you keep driving, taking alternate routes when the road is blocked, because you know the destination is coming whether you finish every side street or not.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “When should I stay and fight, and when should I leave?” (The key is the gospel’s advance, not personal comfort.)
- “If Jesus was talking about AD 70, does this verse still speak to us today?” (Yes, the pattern of strategic flight and urgent mission applies until Christ’s final return.)
- “How do I know if my flight is wisdom or cowardice?” (Check your motive: are you fleeing to preserve the mission, or to preserve your comfort?)
Leading a Discussion
Matthew 10:23 sits in the middle of Jesus’ mission charge to the twelve, where he warns them of persecution but also gives them a clear strategy: when driven from one city, go to the next. This command raises questions about wisdom in suffering, the urgency of the gospel, and what Jesus meant by “the Son of Man has come.” As you discuss, let the text shape your understanding of faithful witness, not a call to reckless exposure or to cowardly retreat, but to a mission that keeps moving until Christ’s intervention.
Discussion questions
- Read Matthew 10:23 together. What stands out to you about the way Jesus frames persecution, as a certainty, not a possibility?
- Jesus says to “flee into the next” city. In what situations today might that kind of strategic flight be the right thing for a Christian or a church to do?
- The phrase “until the Son of Man has come” is interpreted in different ways (a first‑century judgment, a personal overtaking, the final return). Which reading makes the most sense in the context of the apostles’ immediate mission? Why?
- How does this verse challenge the idea that staying put in a difficult place is always the most faithful choice?
- Jesus speaks of the cities of Israel. How does the location matter for understanding his promise that they “will not have gone through” them before the Son of Man comes?
- Does this command apply only to the original twelve disciples, or does it carry a principle for all followers of Jesus? Explain your reasoning.
- If Christ’s coming, whether in judgment or at the end, is the horizon for our mission, how should that affect how we use our time and energy today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 2:13 | Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” |
| Matthew 4:12 | Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. |
| Matthew 12:14 | But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. |
| Matthew 12:15 | Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, |
| Matthew 16:28 | Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” |
| Matthew 23:34 | Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, |
| Matthew 24:27 | For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. |
| Matthew 24:30 | and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that the apostles were not to throw away their lives recklessly but were to flee persecution when possible. Yet they were to die rather than save themselves by doing anything wrong. He interprets "the coming of the Son of Man" here as the destruction of Jerusalem, which would occur before they had fled to every city.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Christ's instruction to flee persecution is not merely permission to escape but a command to keep preaching elsewhere. Disciples must not treat one successful stand as completing their duty; they are to enter fresh contests with unabated zeal. Flight is not always disavowal, but not every kind of flight is lawful.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools note that Christ's instructions in Matthew 10 reach far beyond the apostles' immediate mission. Phrases like "when they persecute you" warn and comfort the whole future church. The "coming of the Son of man" refers both to Christ's judgment in Jerusalem's destruction and to his final coming, when missions will be complete.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And when they persecute you in this citie, flee into another: for verely I say vnto you, yee shall not goe ouer all the cities of Israel, till the Sonne of man be come.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the command to flee persecution as a directive to continue spreading the Gospel, not an escape for safety. The disciples are spurred to press on through all the cities of Israel until Christ's coming, which he interprets as the resurrection, Pentecost, or the destruction of Jerusalem rather than the final judgment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB rejects the idea that "the coming of the Son of man" here means Jesus traveling with the disciples during His earthly ministry. Instead, he insists this refers to Christ's coming in judgment against Israel at the destruction of Jerusalem, which foreshadows His final return.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats flight in persecution not as retreat but as a sacred duty when it opens a larger field for the gospel. The apostles' motive must be concern for spreading Christ's name, not fear or personal attachments. He interprets Christ's promise to mean the Son of Man will overtake them before their work in Israel is finished.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees Christ's servants sent into a hostile world, yet he stresses they are not meant to be defenseless victims. The key is a rare combination: the wisdom to navigate danger without losing innocence, and the confidence that even when evil strikes, God's providential care and the Spirit's help are certain.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley emphasizes the urgency of the apostles' mission: they will be driven through Israel's cities so swiftly that they will not finish before the Son of Man comes to judge their nation. He identifies that coming specifically with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.