Matthew 24:35
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Spoken within the Olivet Discourse, this verse follows Jesus' description of cosmic upheaval at His coming and affirms the certainty of all He has just taught about the end of the age.
What Does Matthew 24:35 Mean?
Jesus declares that His words are more enduring than the universe itself: heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not. He says this in the Olivet Discourse, sealing His teaching about the future with a claim about the absolute reliability of what He has spoken.
The statement sets up a deliberate contrast. The created order -- the sky overhead and the ground beneath, the most fixed and permanent things human beings can imagine -- is said to be temporary. Against this backdrop Jesus places His own words and pronounces them more lasting than creation. This is a remarkable claim, for in Scripture it is the word of God that abides for ever. By saying "my words," Jesus places His teaching on that same plane of permanence. The promise gives weight to everything He has just predicted: His words about the future are not guesses but certainties that will outlast the world. For the believer this is a deep source of stability. When everything visible feels uncertain, the words of Jesus remain a fixed point -- His promises will hold, His warnings will prove true, and His teaching will never need revision.
In the Original Language
The verb "pareleusontai" (shall pass away) is repeated for emphasis -- the same passing applied to heaven and earth is emphatically denied of Jesus' words (hoi logoi mou). The double negative "ou mē" makes the denial absolute.
Cross References
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
- Isaiah 40:8
“Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
- Matthew 5:18
“But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
- 1 Peter 1:25
Application
Anchor your life to the words of Jesus rather than to anything in the visible world, trusting that His promises will outlast everything that now seems permanent.