Matthew 24 · Verse 23

Matthew 24:23

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

Matthew 24:23, King James Version

Matthew 24:23 in other translations

BSB	At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
WEB	“Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There!’ don’t believe it.
ASV	Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not.
YLT	‘Then if any one may say to you, Lo, here is the Christ! or here! ye may not believe;
DARBY	Then if any one say to you, Behold, here is the Christ, or here, believe it not.
BBE	Then if any man says to you, See, here is the Christ, or, Here; do not put faith in him;
Webster	Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

What does Matthew 24:23 mean?

Barnes' Notes

Verse 23. Lo, here is Christ. The Messiah. The Jews expected the Messiah to deliver them from Roman oppression. In the time of these great-calamities they would anxiously look for him, Many would claim to be the Messiah. Many would follow them. Many would rejoice to believe that he was come, and would call on others, Christians with the rest, to follow them.

Believe it not. You have evidence that the Messiah has come, and you are not to be deceived by the plausible pretensions of others.

(u) "Then if any" De 13:1-3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo here is Christ - Our Lord had cautioned his disciples against false Christs and prophets before, Mat 24:11; but he seems here to intimate that there would be especial need to attend to this caution about the time of the siege. And in fact many such impostors did arise about that time, promising deliverance from God; and the lower the Jews were reduced, the more disposed they were to listen to such deceivers. Like a man drowning, they were willing to catch even at a straw, while there was any prospect of being saved. But as it was to little purpose for a man to take upon him the character of the Christ, without miracles to avouch his Divine mission, so it was the common artifice of these impostors to show signs and wonders, σημεια και τερατα; the very words used by Christ in this prophecy, and by Josephus in his history: Ant. b. xx. c. 7. Among these Simon Magus, and Dositheus, mentioned before; and Barcocab, who, St. Jerome says, pretended to vomit flames. And it is certain these and some others were so dexterous in imitating miraculous works that they deceived many; and such were their works, that if the elect, the chosen persons, the Christians, had not had the fullest evidence of the truth of Christ's mission and miracles, they must have been deceived too: but, having had these proofs, they could not possibly be deceived by these impostors. This is simply the meaning of this place; and it is truly astonishing that it should be brought as a proof for the doctrine (whether true or false is at present out of the question) of the necessary and eternal perseverance of the saints! How abundant the Jews were in magic, divination, sorcery, incantation, etc., see proved by Dr. Lightfoot on this place.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 24:4-28

The disciples had asked concerning the times, When these things should be? Christ gave them no answer to that; but they had also asked, What shall be the sign? This question he answers fully. The prophecy first respects events near at hand, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the Jewish church and state, the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world; but it also looks to the…

Read the full comment on Matthew 24:4-28 →

Matthew 24:23 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤότεToteThenG5119

ἐάνeanifG1437

τιςtisanyoneG5100

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

εἴπῃ·eipēmay say;G2036

ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400

ὧδεhōdehere [is]G5602

ὁhotheG3588

χριστὸςchristosChristG5547

ἢēorG2228

ὧδε,hōdeHere,G5602

μὴmēnotG3361

πιστεύσητε.pisteusēteshall believe [it].G4100

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 24:23

Luke 21:8
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luke 17:23-24
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Mark 13:21
And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
John 5:43
I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

De 13:1-3; Mr 13:21; Lu 17:23,24; 21:8; Joh 5:43

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 24:22
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Matthew 24:23
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Matthew 24:24
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Read all of Matthew 24

Matthew 24:23 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces, si alguno os dijere: He aquí está el Cristo, ó allí, no creáis.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Alors, si quelqu’un vous dit: Voici, le Christ est ici, ou: Il est là, ne le croyez pas.
German Elberfelder 1871	Alsdann, wenn jemand zu euch sagt: Siehe, hier ist der Christus, oder hier! so glaubet nicht.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Tunc si quis vobis dixerit: Ecce hic est Christus, aut illic: nolite credere.