For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people.
Parallel translations
- WEB For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.
- KJV For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
- BSB For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
- NKJV For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
- NLT for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive 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 will come claiming to be the Christ and will deceive many. It warns that false messiahs are a recurring danger.
Overview
Jesus foretells that deceivers will arise claiming his title and leading multitudes astray. Such false claims have appeared throughout history. The warning calls believers to hold fast to the true Christ and not be swept up by counterfeit saviors who exploit hope and fear.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 24:11Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.
- Matt 24:24For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
- 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.
- 1 Jn 2:18Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour.
- Acts 5:36–37For 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.
- Acts 8:9–10But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
- Jer 23:25“I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’
- 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.
- Jer 23:21I didn’t send these prophets, yet they ran. I didn’t speak to them, yet they prophesied.
- Rev 13:8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 24:5 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.