Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.
- KJV And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
- NKJV And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
- NASB And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
- NLT Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,
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
Jesus begins by warning them not to be deceived. Spiritual vigilance, not date-setting, is his first concern.
Overview
Before any sign, Jesus' opening command is a guard against deception. Throughout the discourse the recurring theme is 'watch' and 'take heed,' showing that his purpose is pastoral — to keep his followers from being misled in confusing times. The first danger in every age is not catastrophe but counterfeit teaching that leads hearts astray from the true Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Eph 5:6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Col 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
- Jer 29:8For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them.
- 2 Th 2:3Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
- Luke 21:8Jesus answered, “See to it that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
- Rev 20:7–8When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison,
- Matt 24:4–5Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
- 1 Jn 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- 1 Cor 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
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 13:5 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.