And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads 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:
- BSB Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you.
- NKJV And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives 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 these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
- Col 2:8Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.
- Jer 29:8For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
- 2 Th 2:3Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,
- Luke 21:8He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them.
- Rev 20:7–8And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison,
- Matt 24:4–5Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.
- 1 Jn 4:1Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- 1 Cor 15:33Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
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.