The Meaning of Mark 13:5 Explained

Mark 13:5

KJV: And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

YLT: And Jesus answering them, began to say, 'Take heed lest any one may lead you astray,

Darby: And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any one mislead you.

ASV: And Jesus began to say unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  answering  them  began  to say,  Take heed  lest  any  [man] deceive  you: 

What does Mark 13:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 13:1-13 - Coming Tribulations
Our Lord departed from the Temple, never again to enter its sacred precincts or to open His mouth in public teaching. When He withdrew, the whole system of Judaism was given over to desolation, and the predictions spoken at this time were minutely fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem under Titus. The Temple was blotted out-indeed, a ploughshare passed over its site; the people were sold into slavery or butchered in the gladiatorial shows; their nationality was obliterated; and their land given to strangers. For more than eighteen centuries the holy places have been defiled.
Christ's words contain a further reference to His second advent. The signs here mentioned were carefully scanned by the early Christians, as one after another they were fulfilled. They saw the Roman world convulsed by rival claimants for the imperial purple; they knew by bitter experience the brunt of the world's hatred; they realized that by the labors of the great apostle of the Gentiles, and others, the gospel had been preached throughout the known world-and when these signs were being fulfilled, and the Roman eagles gathered to prey on the carcass of Judaism, from which the life had passed, they hastened to flee to Pella, from whence they beheld the collapse of the Jewish state. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 13

1  Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple;
9  the persecutions for the gospel;
10  that the gospel must be preached to all nations;
14  that great calamities shall happen to the Jews;
24  and the manner of his coming to judgment;
32  the hour whereof being known to none, every man is to watch and pray

Greek Commentary for Mark 13:5

Take need that no man lead you astray [λεπετε μη τις μας πλανησηι]
Same words in Matthew 24:4. Luke 21:8 has it “that ye be not led astray” This word πλαναω — planaō (our planet) is a bold one. This warning runs through the whole discussion. It is pertinent today after so many centuries. About the false Christs then and now see Matthew 24:5. It is amazing the success that these charlatans have through the ages in winning the empty-pated to their hare-brained views. Only this morning as I am writing a prominent English psychologist has challenged the world to a radio communication with Mars asserting that he has made frequent trips to Mars and communicated with its alleged inhabitants. And the daily papers put his ebullitions on the front page. For discussion of the details in Mark 13:6-8 see notes on Matthew 24:5-8. All through the ages in spite of the words of Jesus men have sought to apply the picture here drawn to the particular calamity in their time. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 13:5

Mark 12:24 Err [πλανᾶσθε]
Lit., wander out of the way. Compare Latin errare. Of the wandering sheep, Matthew 18:12; 1 Peter 2:25. Of the martyrs wandering in the deserts, Hebrews 11:38. Often rendered in the New Testament deceive. See Mark 13:5, Mark 13:6. Compare ἀστέρες πλανῆται , wandering stars (Judges 1:13), from which our word planet. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 13:5 mean?

- And Jesus began to say to them Take heed lest anyone you mislead
δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἤρξατο λέγειν αὐτοῖς Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἤρξατο  began 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
λέγειν  to  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Βλέπετε  Take  heed 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
μή  lest 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
τις  anyone 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
πλανήσῃ  mislead 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πλανάω  
Sense: to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way.