The Meaning of Matthew 24:40 Explained

Matthew 24:40

KJV: Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

YLT: Then two men shall be in the field, the one is received, and the one is left;

Darby: Then two shall be in the field, one is taken and one is left;

ASV: Then shall two man be in the field; one is taken, and one is left:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  shall  two  be  in  the field;  the one  shall be taken,  and  the other  left. 

What does Matthew 24:40 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 24:40-51 - Watch And Work
There are many comings of the Son of man before the final one to judgment. We may derive the full benefit of our Lord's words, even though we have arrived at no settled opinion as to the precise order of future events. The hour of our death is as uncertain as that of His coming in the clouds. For each, we should be ready!
Watchfulness is keeping awake! We are beset by temptations to sleep. Bunyan said that we are traveling over the Enchanted Ground, the air of which is very heavy and sleep-producing. How dull we are to perceive the unseen, or to meet the great opportunities of life! Broken up alludes to the mud or clay house which could not keep off the thief. Death breaks in and carries us away from all of our treasures. See 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:4.
We had best wait for our Lord while engaged in carefully discharging our appointed tasks. The Church is a big household in which each has his niche. "To labor is to pray;" to serve is to be ready. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 24

1  Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple;
3  what and how great calamities shall be before it;
29  the signs of his coming to judgment
36  And because that day and hour are unknown,
42  we ought to watch like good servants, expecting our Master's coming

Greek Commentary for Matthew 24:40

Shall be taken - left []
Both verbs are in the present tense, which makes the saying more lively. One is taken and one is left. So Rev. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 24:40

Matthew 24:43 Would come [ἔπχεται]
Rev., was coming. But the present is graphically thrown in as in vv, Matthew 24:40, Matthew 24:41: is coming or cometh. [source]
John 14:3 And receive [παραλήψομαι]
Here the future tense, will receive. Rev., therefore, much better: I come again and will receive you. The change of tense is intentional, the future pointing to the future personal reception of the believer through death. Christ is with the disciple alway, continually “coming” to him, unto the end of the world. Then He will receive him into that immediate fellowship, where he “shall see Him as He is.” The verb παραλαμβάνω is used in the New Testament of taking along with (Matthew 4:5, note; Matthew 17:1, note; Acts 16:33, note): of taking to (Matthew 1:20; John 14:3): of taking from, receiving by transmission; so mostly in Paul (Galatians 1:12; Colossians 2:6; Colossians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. See also Matthew 24:40, Matthew 24:41). It is scarcely fanciful to see the first two meanings blended in the use of the verb in this passage. Jesus, by the Spirit, takes His own along with Him through life, and then takes them to His side at death. He himself conducts them to Himself. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 24:40 mean?

Then will be two in the field one is taken and is left
τότε ἔσονται δύο ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ εἷς παραλαμβάνεται καὶ ἀφίεται

ἔσονται  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
δύο  two 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: δύο 
Sense: the two, the twain.
ἀγρῷ  field 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀγρός  
Sense: land.
εἷς  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
παραλαμβάνεται  is  taken 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραλαμβάνω  
Sense: to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.
ἀφίεται  is  left 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.