For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Parallel translations
- WEB For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
- BSB For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- NKJV For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
- NASB for false christs and false prophets will arise, and will provide signs and wonders, in order to mislead, if possible, the elect.
- NLT For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
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
False christs and false prophets will perform signs to deceive, even targeting God's chosen. Counterfeit miracles cannot prevail against the elect.
Overview
Deceivers may display genuine-looking wonders, so signs alone are no proof of truth (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). Their aim is to mislead even believers, yet the implied promise is that the elect cannot finally be deceived, for God preserves his own. This calls Christians to discernment grounded in Scripture rather than wonder at spectacular displays.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 24:24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
- 2 Th 2:8–14And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
- Mark 13:6For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
- 1 Jn 2:26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
- Matt 7:15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
- John 10:27–28My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- Rev 17:8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
- Rev 13:13–14And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
- John 4:48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
- 1 Jn 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
- Rev 13:8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
- 2 Tim 2:19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
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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 13:22 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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