A long section about "the end of the world" or, more precisely, "the end of an era." The Apostles asking a question, meaning literally, "Tell us, when will this happen and what does your presence signify about the end of the age."
Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
Because many will show up upon my name saying, "I am the anointed." And possibly lead many astray.
Let's try not to claim any of our own desires upon the name of another.
In Greek, this looks like the answer to a question. The statement "I am the Christ" or "I am the Messiah" can either be what people say about Jesus or what they saying about themselves. So this could be a denial by Jesus that he is the anointed. The statement that the people will do this based upon his name makes this more confusing because it doesn't sound like these people are speaking against him.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "name" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "Christ" is not shown in the English translation.
- UW - Untranslated Word -- The word "Christ" means "anointed." It is the untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "shall" does not mean the future tense.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "name" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "claiming" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.
- MW -- Missing Word -- The pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
- UW - Untranslated Word -- The word "Christ" means "anointed." It is the untranslated Greek word adopted into English.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "will" does not mean the future tense.
For - The word translated as "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, to prevent a run-on sentence, translated as a "this is because..." to start a new sentence.
many - The word translated as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size.
shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
come - The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out." It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Christ, however, uses it most often, but not always, in the sense of "come." It is in the future tense.
in - The word translated as "in" means "upon," "against," "before," "by" or "on." It is NOT the word Jesus most commonly uses with the Greek phrase usually translated "in" someone's name. See this article on all the formulations of this phrase and their possible meanings.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
name, - The Greek word translated as "name" is much more complicated than it might at first appear. It can simply mean a "name" as in English, this can be many things. It doesn't mean the thing itself, but what people call it. For example, it can mean a "false name," or "a pretense" as we say "this is a marriage in name only." It can also mean representing another person's authority, as we say, "he is acting in the name of the boss" or, in this case, "against the name."
saying, - The word translated as "saying" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to teach," which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. However. it also means "to proclaim," which is how it usually works best when Christ puts it in the mouth of his opponent.
I - The pronoun "I" is added to add emphasis that he is referring to his own words. It is unnecessary because the first person is part of the verb ending. Christ sometimes uses it humorously to refer to himself. However, when you put the accent on "I" when you speak this phrase, it makes the statement sound like a claim his opponents are saying about themselves, not about Christ.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
am - The verb here is the common form of "to be" in Greek in the first person, present form.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Christ; - (UW) The word translated as "Christ" means "the anointed." In the NT, it is understood to mean the Messiah, following the tradition of the anointing of the kings of Israel.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
shall -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
deceive - "Deceive" is from a verb that means "to cause to wander," "to lead astray," "to mislead," "to wander," "to stray," and "to be misled." The form indicates something that "might" or "possibly happens. It is could be in the future tense, but its form is also tense indicating something that might happen at a point in time.
many. - The word translated at the end of the verse as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size. It is the same word that began the verse.
For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
For - The word translated as "for" can be treated as supporting a dependent clause, or, to prevent a run-on sentence, translated as a "this is because..." to start a new sentence.
many - The word translated as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size.
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
come - The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out." It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Christ, however, uses it most often, but not always, in the sense of "come." It is in the future tense.
in - The word translated as "in" means "upon," "against," "before," "by" or "on." It is NOT the word Jesus most commonly uses with the Greek phrase usually translated "in" someone's name. See this article on all the formulations of this phrase and their possible meanings.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
name, - The Greek word translated as "name" is much more complicated than it might at first appear. It can simply mean a "name" as in English, this can be many things. It doesn't mean the thing itself, but what people call it. For example, it can mean a "false name," or "a pretense" as we say "this is a marriage in name only." It can also mean representing another person's authority, as we say, "he is acting in the name of the boss" or, in this case, "against the name."
claiming, - (CW) The word translated as "claiming" is the most common word that means "to say," and "to speak," but it also means "to teach," which seems to be the way Christ uses it more frequently. However. it also means "to proclaim," which is how it usually works best when Christ puts it in the mouth of his opponent.
I - The pronoun "I" is added to add emphasis that he is referring to his own words. It is unnecessary because the first person is part of the verb ending. Christ sometimes uses it humorously to refer to himself. However, when you put the accent on "I" when you speak this phrase, it makes the statement sound like a claim his opponents are saying about themselves, not about Christ.
missing "myself" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "I myself."
am - The verb here is the common form of "to be" in Greek in the first person, present form.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
Messiah; - The word translated as "Christ" means "the anointed." In the NT, it is understood to mean the Messiah, following the tradition of the anointing of the kings of Israel.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
will -- (CW) This helping verb "shall" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
deceive - "Deceive" is from a verb that means "to cause to wander," "to lead astray," "to mislead," "to wander," "to stray," and "to be misled." The form indicates something that "might" or "possibly happens. It is could be in the future tense, but its form is also tense indicating something that might happen at a point in time.
many. - The word translated at the end of the verse as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size. It is the same word that began the verse.
πολλοὶ [61 verses](adj pl masc nom) "Many" is from polys, which means "many (in number)," "great (in size or power or worth)," and "large (of space)." As an adverb, it means "far," "very much," "a great way," and "long."
γὰρ [205 verses](partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question it means "why" and "what."
ἐλεύσονται [198 verses](verb 3rd pl fut ind) "Shall come" is from erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.
ἐπὶ [138 verses](prep) "In" is from epi. which means "on," "upon," "at," "by," "before," "across," and "against."
τῷ [821 verses](article sg neut dat) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
ὀνόματί [47 verses](noun sg neut dat) "Name" is from onoma, which means "name." It means both the reputation of "fame," and "a name and nothing else," as opposed to a real person. Acting in someone's name means to act on their behalf, as their representative.
μου [132 verses](noun sg masc gen) "Me" is from emou, which means "me," and "mine."
λέγοντες [264 verses](part pl pres act masc nom) "Saying" is from lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelt the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep."
Ἐγώ [162 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "I" is from ego, which is the first person singular pronoun meaning "I." It also means "I at least," "for my part," "indeed," and "for myself."
εἰμι [614 verses](pron 1st sg masc nom) "Is" is from eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible." (The future form is esomai. The 3rd person present indicative is "esti.") -
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
χριστός, (noun sg masc nom) "Christ" is from christos, (christos), which means "to be rubber with salve," and "anointed."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
πολλοὺς [61 verses](adj pl masc acc) "Many" is from polys, which means "many (in number)," "great (in size or power or worth)," and "large (of space)." As an adverb, it means "far," "very much," "a great way," and "long."
πλανήσουσιν. [12 verses](verb 3rd pl aor subj act ) "Deceive" is planao which means "to cause to wander," "to lead astray," "to mislead," "to wander," "to stray," and "to be misled."
the reference to two different groups, both referred to as "many."
"Because," he continued. "Many are going to make their case against my reputation."
The apostles agreed, having already seen this.
"Saying," he continued, switching to one of his funny voices. "'I am the Christ.'"
The apostles laughed and objected to the idea.
"And," he said, pausing until they quieted down. "At that time lead many astray."