All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "beginning of sorrows" uses the imagery of childbirth, revealing that the chaos and destruction described are not an end in themselves, but a painful, necessary prelude to a new beginning or a "new birth" for God's kingdom. It's a stark reminder that transformation, even divine transformation, can be a difficult and agonizing process.
All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is responding to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple and the signs of his coming. He's just described a series of escalating disasters—deceptions, wars, famines, and earthquakes—but clarifies these are not the final end. Instead, they are merely the initial stages, like the first contractions before a birth.
Jesus lists terrifying events like wars, famines, and earthquakes. But He calls them something much more profound than mere destruction. What is He really pointing to?
When Jesus says these events are the "beginning of sorrows" (or "birth pains"), He's using a powerful metaphor. Think of childbirth. The initial pains are intense, scary, and disruptive, but they are not the end. They are the necessary, albeit painful, precursors to something new and life-giving.
The disciples were focused on the glorious temple. Jesus redirects their attention to upcoming turmoil. Why the shift from outward splendor to inward distress?
Jesus' disciples were amazed by the grandeur of the temple in Jerusalem. Their focus was on the physical, the magnificent, the enduring. But Jesus knew this earthly structure, and the religious system it represented, was destined for destruction. He reveals that the signs they're asking about—wars, famines, earthquakes—aren't signs of the temple's enduring glory, but signs of its end and the coming of His kingdom.
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Understand the original words
ōdin · Greek Noun
Metaphorical language for the introductory distress and precursors leading to the arrival of the Messianic age or the final judgment, signifying intense pain that precedes a new beginning.
Jesus uses the metaphor of 'birth pains' to describe catastrophic events like wars, famines, and earthquakes, emphasizing that these intense sufferings are not the end, but precursors to even greater upheaval, specifically the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
c. 4 BC - AD 30
Life and Ministry of Jesus
Jesus teaches, performs miracles, and predicts the destruction of Jerusalem.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The pivotal events of Christian faith occur, setting the stage for the spread of the Gospel.
c. AD 30-60s
Early Spread of the Gospel
The apostles and early followers begin to preach the message of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire.
c. AD 66-70— this verse
First Jewish-Roman War Begins
Widespread revolt and rebellion break out across Judea against Roman rule, leading to immense conflict.
AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman army under Titus brutally sacks Jerusalem, razes the Second Temple, and ends the Jewish revolt.
This passage uses the same powerful metaphor of creation groaning and 'travailing in pain,' just as Jesus describes these early troubles as the 'beginning of birth pains,' highlighting a shared theme of immense suffering preceding a glorious new beginning.
Jeremiah 13:21This verse speaks of being 'clothed with' and 'bound about with' enemies as a result of sin, echoing the theme of national judgment and severe distress that Jesus points to as preliminary sorrows.
Luke 21:10-11This passage, from a parallel account, describes wars, insurrections, and signs like famines and pestilences, directly preceding Jesus' statement about 'beginning of sorrows,' reinforcing the context of escalating calamities.
Matthew 19:28Jesus speaks of a 'regeneration' when the Son of Man is on his glorious throne; these 'birth pains' in Matthew 24:8 are thus the intense struggles that must occur before this new era is ushered in.
Isaiah 26:17This verse describes Israel in labor, bringing forth wind, a powerful image of a nation in distress and travail, paralleling the 'birth pains' Jesus describes as preceding a significant turning point.
barnesMatthew 24:8: "All these are the beginning of sorrows."
The beginning of sorrows - Far heavier calamities are yet to come before the end.
calvinMatthew 24:1-8: "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple."
- And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him, to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2. And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Verily I say to you, There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. 3. And while he was sitting on the mountain of Olives, the disci…
The phrase "beginning of sorrows" uses the imagery of childbirth, revealing that the chaos and destruction described are not an end in themselves, but a painful, necessary prelude to a new beginning or a "new birth" for God's kingdom. It's a stark reminder that transformation, even divine transformation, can be a difficult and agonizing process.
Jesus is responding to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple and the signs of his coming. He's just described a series of escalating disasters—deceptions, wars, famines, and earthquakes—but clarifies these are not the final end. Instead, they are merely the initial stages, like the first contractions before a birth.
Jesus is responding to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple and the signs of his coming. He's just described a series of escalating disasters—deceptions, wars, famines, and earthquakes—but clarifies these are not the final end. Instead, they are merely the initial stages, like the first contractions before a birth.
"All these are but the beginning of the birth pains." — The phrase "beginning of sorrows" uses the imagery of childbirth, revealing that the chaos and destruction described are not an end in themselves, but a painful, necessary prelude to a new beginning…
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Last reviewed October 2026