Matthew 24:12

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS Matthew 24:11 NEXT Matthew 24:13

Matthew 24:12 in Other Translations

KJV

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

ESV

12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

NLT

12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.

MSG

12 For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in - nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.

CSB

12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:12 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 24:12

And because iniquity shall abound
Meaning, either the malice and wickedness of outrageous persecutors, which should greatly increase; or the treachery and hatred of the apostates; or the errors and heresies of false teachers; or the wickedness that prevailed in the lives and conversations of some, that were called Christians: for each of these seem to be hinted at in the context, and may be all included, as making up the abounding iniquity here spoken of; the consequence of which would be,

the love of many shall wax cold.
This would be the case of many, but not of all; for in the midst of this abounding iniquity, there were some, the ardour of whose love to Christ, to his Gospel, and to the saints, did not abate: but then there were many, whose zeal for Christ, through the violence of persecution, was greatly damped; and through the treachery of false brethren, were shy of the saints themselves, not knowing who to trust; and through the principles of the false teachers, the power of godliness, and the vital heat of religion, were almost lost; and through a love of the world, and of carnal ease and pleasure, love to the saints was grown very chill, and greatly left; as the instances of Demas, and those that forsook the Apostle Paul, at his first answer before Nero, show. This might be true of such, who were real believers in Christ; who might fall under great decays, through the prevalence of iniquity; since it does not say their love shall be lost, but wax cold.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible