What Does Matthew 24:14 Mean in the King James?
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The “kingdom” is not simply a place on a map: the Greek word points to the reign itself, announced as public testimony across every people.
THE MEANING
The good news announces God’s governance across the inhabited world, where it stands as testimony to every people. The verse sets a sequence: this announcement is proclaimed throughout the world, and then the end comes. Its word for end can name a completion or outcome, while the verse leaves the shape of that completion open.
THE ROOT
βασιλεία
basileia
GROWS FROM
βασιλ-
basil-
King, royal authority, or reign.
“kingdom” in this verse is basileia. The Greek word can name royal rule, not only the territory ruled. The good news is therefore an announcement of governance moving through the world.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: king
βασιλεύς
The king is the figure whose authority the kingdom expresses.
basileuō: to reign
βασιλεύω
This verb makes the active sense of the kingdom visible: it is rule in operation.
μαρτύριον
martyrion
GROWS FROM
μαρτυρ-
martyr-
Bear witness; give testimony.
“witness” in this verse is martyrion. The word names public testimony, not merely an idea being circulated. The verse presents the message as testimony reaching every people; it does not say that every people must agree with it.
ALSO GROWS
martys: witness; one who testifies
μάρτυς
The witness is the person who bears the testimony named in the verse.
martyria: testimony; the act or content of bearing witness
μαρτυρία
This branch keeps the focus on the public testimony carried among the nations.
τέλος
telos
GROWS FROM
τελ-
tel-
An end point, completion, or outcome.
The English “end” can sound like a bare stopping point, while τέλος can also name a completion or outcome. The verse places that completion after the witness goes out, without spelling out its full shape.
ALSO GROWS
teleō: to finish; complete
τελέω
This verb shows the sense of bringing something to its end.
teleioō: to bring to completion; make complete
τελειόω
This related word makes visible the sense of reaching a completion, not only stopping.
THE PATTERN
God’s governance becomes public across peoples through testimony before the stated completion arrives.
And the gospel must first be published among all nations.But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,THE THREAD
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.“For a testimony” translates μαρτύριον (martyrion), the same Greek word behind “witness” in Matthew 24:14. Here the testimony stands before rulers and Gentiles, showing that this witness can be public even in an adversarial setting.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us