Matthew 24:14
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
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Part of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' extended teaching about the future given to His disciples on the Mount of Olives during Passion week, in answer to their questions about the end of the age.
What Does Matthew 24:14 Mean?
Jesus promises that the gospel of the kingdom will reach every nation as a witness, and only then will the end come. He says this on the Mount of Olives, answering the disciples' questions about the signs of His coming and the close of the age (Matthew 24:3). Amid warnings of wars, deception, and tribulation, this verse sounds a note of mission and hope.
The phrase "gospel of the kingdom" is the good news that God is establishing His reign through Jesus -- the same message Jesus had been proclaiming throughout His ministry. Its reach is sweeping: "in all the world," "unto all nations." The purpose is given as "for a witness," meaning the message will stand as a testimony to every people, placing before them the announcement of God's saving rule. The verse links the spread of this witness to the timing of the end, so that the missionary task is not a footnote to history but woven into its very unfolding. For believers in any age, the words turn anxious speculation about the future into purposeful action in the present. Rather than calculating dates, the followers of Jesus are pointed outward, toward the nations who have not yet heard.
In the Original Language
The Greek "euangelion" means good news or glad tidings, here "of the kingdom" (tēs basileias). "Martyrion" means a testimony or witness -- the gospel is proclaimed as evidence set before all the "ethnē," the nations or peoples.
Cross References
“And the gospel must first be published among all nations.”
- Mark 13:10
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
- Matthew 28:19
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation.”
- Revelation 14:6
Application
Let concern about the future fuel mission rather than mere speculation; ask how your life can be part of the gospel reaching people and places that have not yet heard.