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for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.
Mark 13:6 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and will lead many astray.
  • KJV For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
  • BSB Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.
  • NKJV For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He, ’ and will deceive many.
  • NASB Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and they will mislead many.

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

Many imposters will come claiming his name and authority, deceiving many. Believers must not follow them.

Overview

False messiahs and self-appointed leaders would arise, some even claiming Jesus' own title. History has repeatedly proven this true, from the first century to today. Jesus forewarns his people so they will cling to him and his word rather than chase every charismatic claimant, knowing the genuine Christ comes openly and gloriously, not in hidden whispers.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Mark 13:22For 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.
  • John 5:43I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
  • 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.
  • Acts 5:36–39For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.
  • John 8:24I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
  • Matt 24:11Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.
  • Matt 24:5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.
  • Matt 24:23–24“Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There,’ don’t believe it.
  • Jer 14:14Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them, neither have I commanded them, neither did I speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
  • Jer 23:21–25I didn’t send these prophets, yet they ran. I didn’t speak to them, yet they prophesied.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Mark videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Mark 13:6YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MarkMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 13:6 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.