Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
- BSB Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
- NKJV Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
- NASB And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
- NLT “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Persecution will even divide families, with relatives betraying one another to death. Loyalty to Christ may cost the closest earthly bonds.
Overview
Jesus foretells that the gospel will sometimes split households, as devotion to him exposes deeper allegiances (Micah 7:6). Such betrayal is among the most painful trials, yet Jesus warned his people so they would not be caught off guard. Following Christ may mean loving him above family, trusting that he is worth even this cost.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Matt 10:21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
- Luke 12:52–53For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
- Luke 21:16And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
- Matt 24:10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
- Mic 7:4–6The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
- Ezek 38:21And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 13:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.