“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "hated by all nations" isn't just about general dislike; it highlights that followers of Christ would be seen as fundamentally alien, even criminal, simply for bearing His name. This wasn't just persecution; it was a deep-seated animosity targeting their very identity as believers, making their existence itself seem like a societal ill.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just described widespread turmoil and natural disasters as a prelude to the end times. Now, he shifts focus to the specific experiences of his followers, warning them that instead of peace, they will face intense persecution, imprisonment, and even death. This suffering will be widespread, with people everywhere hating them simply because they follow Jesus' name.
Jesus doesn't sugarcoat the path ahead for his followers. He warns them that belonging to Him comes with a steep price: affliction, death, and being hated.
Jesus is upfront about the suffering his disciples would face. This isn't just about external hardship; it's about a deep-seated opposition to the very identity of a follower of Christ.
A Defined Enemy
Those who followed Jesus would be "delivered up to affliction and put to death." This points to intense, even lethal, persecution. It wasn't a gentle disagreement, but a forceful rejection.
Universal Opposition
Furthermore, they would be "hated by all nations for my name's sake." This highlights a global, pervasive animosity. The reason for this hatred? Simply bearing the name of Christ. It became a mark against them, a reason for scorn and violence, no matter where they went or who they encountered.
When followers of Jesus are attacked and persecuted, it's not just a tragedy – it serves a divine purpose.
Jesus reveals that the very persecutions his followers endure have a significant role to play in His larger plan.
A Testimony Against the World
The suffering of believers acts as a powerful 'testimony' against those who persecute them. It exposes the world's rejection of God's truth and the character of those who oppose His followers. Their steadfastness in the face of hatred and death demonstrates the truth and power of the gospel they proclaim.
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God's Sovereignty in Suffering
Even when delivered up to councils, beaten, and brought before kings, Jesus promises to give His followers the words and wisdom to speak. This divine empowerment ensures that their trials become not just moments of suffering, but opportunities for the gospel to be powerfully proclaimed and attested.
Understand the original words
thlipsis · Greek Noun
Refers to severe suffering, affliction, or pressure, often associated with the persecution of the faithful or the final judgments leading up to the end of the age.
onoma · Greek Noun
The authority, character, and person of Jesus Christ; being identified with Him as His follower, which often invokes the enmity of a fallen world.
Jesus' words here speak to a reality that unfolded both in the immediate aftermath of his ministry, with the persecution of the early church, and in later, broader waves of anti-Christian sentiment across various nations.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus predicts future suffering for his followers, including persecution and hatred.
c. AD 30-60
Early Church Persecutions
The book of Acts details the early persecution of Christians, including imprisonment, beatings, and stoning (Stephen).
c. AD 62
Martyrdom of James the Greater
Herod Agrippa I executes James, the brother of John, highlighting the danger faced by early apostles.
c. AD 64
Nero's Persecution
Emperor Nero blames Christians for the Great Fire of Rome, leading to brutal persecution and the deaths of Peter and Paul.
c. AD 66-70
First Jewish-Roman War
The Jewish revolt against Rome leads to widespread conflict and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple.
This passage directly shows the fulfillment of Jesus' prediction, as Stephen was stoned to death while calling on God, highlighting the intense hatred and persecution faced by early Christians.
Romans 8:35-37This passage offers profound comfort by assuring believers that no tribulation, distress, or hatred from the world can separate them from God's love, echoing the resilience needed when facing the 'hatred by all nations' mentioned in Matthew.
John 15:18-20Jesus explicitly warns His followers that the world will hate them because it hated Him first. This passage directly explains the reason behind the hatred described in Matthew 24:9, grounding it in their identification with Christ.
2 Timothy 3:12This verse serves as a clear reminder and confirmation that persecution and suffering for Christ are not unexpected but are, in fact, promised to all who live godly lives, directly supporting the dire prediction in Matthew.
Philippians 1:29Paul states that believers are not only granted faith but also called to suffer for Christ. This passage frames suffering and hatred as a divine gift and privilege, directly linked to serving Christ, which enriches the understanding of being 'hated for my name's sake'.
bensonMatthew 24:9: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."
Matthew 24:9 . Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, &c. — From the calamities of the nation in general, he passes to those of the Christians in particular: and indeed the former were in a great measure the occasion of the latter; famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and the like calamities, being reckoned judgments for the sins of the Christians,…
calvinMatthew 24:9-14: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."
- Then will they deliver you up to be afflicted, and will kill you; and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name. 10. And then will many be offended, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. 11. And many false prophets will arise, and will deceive many. 12. And because iniquity will abound, the love of many will be cool…
The phrase "hated by all nations" isn't just about general dislike; it highlights that followers of Christ would be seen as fundamentally alien, even criminal, simply for bearing His name. This wasn't just persecution; it was a deep-seated animosity targeting their very identity as believers, making their existence itself seem like a societal ill.
Jesus has just described widespread turmoil and natural disasters as a prelude to the end times. Now, he shifts focus to the specific experiences of his followers, warning them that instead of peace, they will face intense persecution, imprisonment, and even death. This suffering will be widespread, with people everywhere hating them simply because they follow Jesus' name.
Jesus has just described widespread turmoil and natural disasters as a prelude to the end times. Now, he shifts focus to the specific experiences of his followers, warning them that instead of peace, they will face intense persecution, imprisonment, and even death. This suffering will be widespread, with people everywhere hating them simply because they follow Jesus' name.
"“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake." — The phrase "hated by all nations" isn't just about general dislike; it highlights that followers of Christ would be seen as fundamentally alien, even criminal, simply for bearing His name. This wasn'…
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Last reviewed October 2026