Matthew 24:34

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Matthew 24:34 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.
Matthew 24:34 — American Standard Version

Context — Matthew 24

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, etc.] Not the generation of men in general; as if the sense was, that mankind should not cease, until the accomplishment of these things; nor the generation, or people of the Jews, who should continue to be a people, until all were fulfilled; nor the generation of Christians; as if the meaning was, that there should be always a set of Christians, or believers in Christ in the world, until all these events came to pass; but it respects that present age, or generation of men then living in it; and the sense is, that all the men of that age should not die, but some should live till all these things were fulfilled; (see <401628>Matthew…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“This generation ... - This age; this race of people. A generation is about 30 or 40 years. The destruction of Jerusalem took place about forty years after this was spoken. See the notes at Matthew 16:28. Till all these things ... - Until these things shall be accomplished. Until events shall take place which shall be a fulfillment of these words, if there were nothing further intended. He does not mean to exclude the reference to the judgment, but to say that the destruction of Jerusalem would be such as to make appropriate the words of the prediction, were there nothing beyond. Compare the notes at Matthew 1:22-23. So when “death” was threatened to Adam, the propriety of the threatening…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“This generation of men now living shall not pass till all these things be done - The expression implies, that great part of that generation would be passed away, but not the whole. Just so it was. For the city and temple were destroyed thirty - nine or forty years after. Matthew 24:36”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“24:34 this generation: In Matthew, generation is used particularly for contemporary, unbelieving Jews, especially focusing on the leaders who have led people away from the Messiah (11:16; 12:39, 41-42, 45; 16:4; 23:36).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“This: Mat 12:45, Mat 16:28, Mat 23:36; Mar 13:30, Mar 13:31; Luk 11:50, Luk 21:32, Luk 21:33 Matthew 24:35”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification