Matthew 24 · Verse 8

Matthew 24:8

All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:8, King James Version

Matthew 24:8 in other translations

BSBAll these are the beginning of birth pains.
WEBBut all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
ASVBut all these things are the beginning of travail.
YLTand all these are the beginning of sorrows;
DARBYBut all these are the beginning of throes.
BBEBut all these things are the first of the troubles.
WebsterAll these are the beginning of sorrows.

What does Matthew 24:8 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 8. The beginning of sorrows. Far heavier calamities are yet to come before the end.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows - Ωδινων, travailing pains. The whole land of Judea is represented under the notion of a woman in grievous travail; but our Lord intimates, that all that had already been mentioned were only the first pangs and throes, and nothing in comparison of that hard and death-bringing labor, which should afterwards take place. From the calamities of the nation in general, our Lord passes to those of the Christians; and, indeed, the sufferings of his followers were often occasioned by the judgments sent upon the land, as the poor Christians were charged with being the cause of these national calamities, and were cruelly persecuted on that account.

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 24:8 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.

πάνταpantaAllG3956
δὲdethenG1161
ταῦταtautathese [are]G3778
ἀρχὴarchē[the] beginningG746
ὠδίνων.¶ōdinōnof birth pains.G5604

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

Cross references for Matthew 24:8

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3

    For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

  • 1 Peter 4:17-18

    For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

  • Deuteronomy 28:59

    Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

  • Isaiah 10:4

    Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

  • Isaiah 9:17

    Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

  • Isaiah 9:12

    The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

  • Isaiah 9:21

    Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

  • Leviticus 26:18-29

    And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Le 26:18-29; De 28:59; Isa 9:12,17,21; 10:4; 1Th 5:3; 1Pe 4:17,18

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

Context

  • Matthew 24:7

    For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

  • Matthew 24:8

    All these are the beginning of sorrows.

  • Matthew 24:9

    Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

Read all of Matthew 24

Matthew 24:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y todas estas cosas, principio de dolores.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais toutes ces choses sont un commencement de douleurs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Alles dieses aber ist der Anfang der Wehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		hæc autem omnia initia sunt dolorum.