Matius 24:40-42

24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. ¹  24:41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; ²  one will be taken and one left.

24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day ³  your Lord will come.

[24:40]  ¹ sn There is debate among commentators and scholars over the phrase one will be taken and one left about whether one is taken for judgment or for salvation. If the imagery is patterned after the rescue of Noah from the flood, as some suggest, the ones taken are the saved (as Noah was) andthose left behind are judged. The imagery, however, is not directly tied to theidentification of the two groups. Its primary purposein context is topicture the sudden, surprisingseparation of the righteous and the judged (i.e., condemned) at the return of the Son of Man.

[24:41]  ² tn According to L&N 46.16, this refers to a hand mill normally operated by two women.

[24:42]  ³ tc Most later mss (L 0281 Ï lat) have here ὥρᾳ ({wra, “hour”) instead of ἡμέρα (Jemera, “day”). Although the merits of this reading could be argued either way, in light of the overwhelming and diverse early support for ἡμέρᾳ ({א B C D W Δ Θ Ë¹³ 33 892 1424, as well as several versions and fathers}), the more general term is surely correct.