“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.
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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
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 10:21“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.
- Luke 12:52–53For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
- Luke 21:16You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death.
- Matt 24:10Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
- Mic 7:4–6The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.
- Ezek 38:21I will call for a sword against him to all my mountains, says the Lord Yahweh: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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
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