Matthew 24:31

24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven ¹  to the other.

Matthew 24:1

The Destruction of the Temple

24:1 Now ²  as Jesus was going out of the temple courts and walking away, his disciples came to show him the temple buildings. ³ 

Matthew 4:16-17

4:16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,

and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” ⁴ 

4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach this message: ⁵  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Matthew 4:2

4:2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. ⁶ 

Matthew 2:1

The Visit of the Wise Men

2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem ⁷  in Judea, in the time ⁸  of King Herod, ⁹  wise men ¹⁰  from the East came to Jerusalem ¹¹ 

¹ tn Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.

² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

³ sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.

⁴ sn A quotation from Isa 9:1.

⁵ tn Grk “and to say.”

⁶ tn Grk “and having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he was hungry.”

⁷ map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

⁸ tn Grk “in the days.”

⁹ sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.

¹⁰ sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).

¹¹ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.