Mark 13:21
in Mark 13At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe it not:
KJV
And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
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This verse in Mark 13
Commentary
10 notes on this verse(ubi sup.) Some however refer this to the time of the Jewish captivity, where many, declaring themselves to be Christs, drew after them crowds of deluded persons; but during the siege of the city there was no Christian to whom the Divine exhortation, not to follow false teachers, could apply. Wherefore it is better to understand it of heretics, who, coming to oppose the Church, pretended to be Christs; the first of whom was Simon Magus, but that last one, greater than the rest, is Antichrist. It goes on: But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
This site's exposition
Look, here is the Christ
on Mark 13:21-23
The opening warning returns: if anyone says to you that here is the Christ, do not believe it. Jesus warns that false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect. He closes, I have told you everything in advance.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God" He speaks of Elias the prophet, who is the precursor of the times of Antichrist, for the restoration and establishment of the churches from the great and intolerable persecution. We read that these things are predicted in the opening of the Old and New Testament; for He says by Malachi: "Lo, I will send to you Elias the Tishbite, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, according to the time of calling, to recall the Jews to the faith of the people that succeed them." And to that end He shows, as we have said, that the number of those that shall believe, of the Jews and of the nations, is a great multitude which no man was able to number. Moreover, we read in the Gospel that the prayers of the Church are sent from heaven by an angel, and that they are received against wrath, and that the kingdom of Antichrist is cast out and extinguished by holy angels; for He says: "Pray that ye enter not into temptation: for there shall be a great affliction, such as has not been from the beginning of the world; and except the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved." Therefore He shall send these seven great archangels to smite the kingdom of Antichrist; for He Himself also thus said: "Then the Son of man shall send His messengers; and they shall gather together His elect from the four corners of the wind, from the one end of heaven even to the other end thereof." For, moreover, He previously says by the prophet: "Then shall there be peace for our land, when there shall arise in it seven shepherds and eight attacks of men; and they shall encircle Assur," that is, Antichrist, "in the trench of Nimrod," that is, in the nation of the devil, by the spirit of the Church. Similarly when the keepers of the house shall be moved. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
After that the Lord had finished all that concerned Jerusalem, He now speaks of the coming of Antichrist, saying, Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not. But when He says, then, think not that it means immediately after these things are fulfilled about Jerusalem; as Matthew also says after the birth of Christ, In those days came John the Baptist; (Matt. 3:1) does he mean immediately after the birth of Christ? No, but he speaks indefinitely and without precision. So also here, then may be taken to mean not when Jerusalem shall be made desolate, but about the time of the coming of Antichrist.
And then if anyone says to you: Here is Christ, here there, do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give signs and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. Some refer this to the time …
The Lord finished His discourse about Jerusalem; next He begins to speak about the coming of the Antichrist. The word "then" should not be understood as meaning that when the above-mentioned things concerning Jerusalem begin to be fulfilled, then do not believe if someone says …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And then if any man shall say to you,.... During those days of tribulation and affliction, or when shortened and at an end: lo! here is Christ, or lo! he is there; the Messiah has appeared in such or in such a place, to deliver you from your national distresses and calamities, and from the Roman yoke and bondage: believe him not; give no credit to such a report, for the reason following; See Gill on Mat 24:23.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
We are taught in these verses the lawfulness of using means to provide for our own personal safety . The language of our Lord Jesus Christ on the subject is clear and unmistakable — "Let those who be in Judea FLEE to the mountains — let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house — let him that is in the field not turn back again — pray you that your flight be not in the winter."
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
And then, if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo he is there; believe him not--So Lu 17:23.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:91%@v21
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
We are taught in these verses the lawfulness of using means to provide for our own personal safety . The language of our Lord Jesus Christ on the subject is clear and unmistakable — "Let those who be in Judea FLEE to the mountains — let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house — let him that is in the field not turn back again — pray you that your flight be not in the winter." Not a word is said to make us suppose that flight from danger, in certain circumstances, is unworthy of a Christian. As to the time prophesied of in the passage before us, men may differ widely. But as to the lawfulness of taking measures to avoid peril, the teaching of the passage is plain. The lesson is one of wide application, and of much usefulness. A Christian is not to neglect the use of means, because he is a Christian, in the things of this life, any more than in the things of the life to come. A believer is not to suppose that God will take care of him, and provide for his needs, if he does not make use of means and the common sense which God has given him, as well as other people. Beyond doubt he may expect the special help of his Father in heaven, in every time of need. But he must expect it in the diligent use of lawful means. To profess to trust God, while we idly sit still and do nothing, is nothing better than fanaticism, and brings religion into contempt. The word of God contains several instructive examples on this subject, to which we shall do well to take heed. The conduct of Jacob, when he went to meet his brother Esau, is a striking case in point. He first prays a most touching prayer, and then sends his brother a carefully arranged present. (Gen. 32:9-13.) The conduct of Hezekiah, when Sennacherib came against Jerusalem, is another case. "With us," he tells the people, "is the Lord our God, to fight our battles."
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τότε | tote | then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ἐάν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εἴπῃ· | eipe | shall say; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ἴδε | ide | behold | G2396 → | 30 times |
| ὧδε | hode | here [is] | G5602 → | 61 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χριστός | christos | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ἴδε | ide | behold | G2396 → | 30 times |
| ἐκεῖ, | ekei | there! | G1563 → | 105 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| πιστεύετε. | pisteuete | you do believe [it]. | G4100 → | 237 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τότεthen
toteG5119 →160 times
ἐάνif
eanG1437 →352 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
εἴπῃ·shall say;
eipeG2036 →925 times
ἴδεbehold
ideG2396 →30 times
ὧδεhere [is]
hodeG5602 →61 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
χριστόςChrist
christosG5547 →523 times
ἴδεbehold
ideG2396 →30 times
ἐκεῖ,there!
ekeiG1563 →105 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
πιστεύετε.you do believe [it].
pisteueteG4100 →237 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 24:5For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:11
and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- Jeremiah 14:14
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination,…
- 1 John 2:18
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.
- Matthew 24:11
Through
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.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, 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.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let 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.
- Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Mark 13:5–6
Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you.
- 1 John 4:1
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.