Luke 21 8

Luke 21:8 kjv

And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Luke 21:8 nkjv

And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.

Luke 21:8 niv

He replied: "Watch out 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.

Luke 21:8 esv

And he said, "See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.

Luke 21:8 nlt

He replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and saying, 'The time has come!' But don't believe them.

Luke 21 verses

Luke 21 8 Meaning

Luke 21:8 serves as a pivotal warning from Jesus, delivered during His Olivet Discourse, concerning the spiritual dangers that will precede His second coming. It instructs His followers to exercise extreme vigilance against deception. Jesus specifically highlights two characteristics of these deceivers: they will falsely claim to act under His authority or even claim to be Him, using the divine identifier "I am he," and they will propagate a false sense of urgency, stating "The time is near." The core message is an explicit command not to be led astray or follow these imposters, emphasizing the crucial need for discernment and steadfast faith.

Luke 21 8 Context

Luke 21 is part of Jesus' "Olivet Discourse," delivered from the Mount of Olives. The preceding verses (v. 5-7) show Jesus admiring the Temple and predicting its complete destruction, which prompts His disciples to ask for signs: "Teacher...when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?" Luke 21:8 is Jesus' direct answer, immediately addressing their request for signs, prioritizing the warning against deception before detailing other signs like wars, earthquakes, or famines. This verse sets the foundational tone, emphasizing the spiritual preparedness of believers in an era characterized by widespread spiritual misleading and false eschatological claims, distinct from the physical upheavals that follow.

Luke 21 8 Word analysis

• He replied (Ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν - Apokritheis eipen): A common introductory phrase in the Gospels, signaling a direct answer or response. Here, it indicates Jesus' immediate and solemn address to the disciples' question about the signs of the end times.
• Watch out (Βλέπετε - Blepete): An imperative verb, strong and direct, meaning "look, behold, see to it, beware." It calls for active, conscious vigilance and discernment from the disciples, emphasizing a constant state of spiritual alertness. It implies a need to actively protect oneself from danger.
• that you are not deceived (μὴ πλανηθῆτε - mē planēthēte): A negative command using mē with an aorist passive subjunctive, indicating a warning against being led astray or caused to wander from truth. The passive voice ("that you are not deceived") highlights the potential for disciples to become victims of deception, necessitating their active watchfulness to prevent it. From planē, the root of "planet," referring to wandering stars, signifying error or going astray from a fixed path.
• For many (πολλοὶ γὰρ - polloi gar): "For" (γὰρ - gar) introduces the reason for the preceding warning. "Many" (polloi) emphasizes the widespread nature of the threat. This indicates that deception will not be an isolated incident but a common and pervasive challenge for believers, underscoring the severity and ubiquity of the danger.
• will come (ἐλεύσονται - eleusontai): Future tense verb, indicating certainty of occurrence. They will make their appearance, asserting their presence and influence.
• in my name (ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου - epi tō onomati mou): This phrase is critical. It signifies more than just verbally mentioning "Jesus." It implies claiming His authority, representing His cause, identifying as His rightful messengers, or even embodying the very role of the Messiah predicted by Him. It is a usurpation of true divine authorization for deceptive ends.
• claiming, 'I am he' (λέγοντες ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι - legontes hoti Egō eimi): The present participle legontes ("claiming," "saying") describes their modus operandi. "Egō eimi" is a powerful divine self-identification (Exod 3:14 in the LXX; Isa 43:10-13, 45:18-19, etc.). Jesus himself uses "Egō eimi" to assert His unique identity and divinity (e.g., Jn 8:58). Here, these deceivers audaciously mimic God's self-revelation, falsely claiming to be the Messiah or possessing divine attributes, thereby seeking to enthrall and mislead the masses through blasphemous appropriation of Christ's identity.
• and, 'The time is near' (καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγικεν - kai ho kairos ēggiken):
  • καιρὸς (kairos): Refers to a definite, appointed, or opportune time, often with an eschatological significance—God's pre-ordained timing for specific events—rather than chronos (general time).
  • ἤγγικεν (ēggiken): Perfect tense of eggizō, meaning "has drawn near," "is at hand." The false teachers use this to create a sense of urgency and immediate expectation. This tactic plays on people's desire for immediate understanding or escape from tribulation, leading them to follow specific, often extreme, interpretations or actions dictated by the deceivers.
• Do not follow them (μὴ πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν - mē poreuthēte opisō autōn): Another clear negative imperative.
  • πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω (poreuthēte opisō): Literally "go after" or "walk behind," which means to align oneself with, accept the teaching of, or become a disciple of.
  • The explicit command is to resist association, allegiance, and adoption of the teachings or leadership of these false claimants. It mandates disengagement and faithful adherence to Christ alone.

Words-Group analysis:

• "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come...": This sequence establishes a direct cause-and-effect: the warning to be vigilant is immediately followed by the explanation that this vigilance is necessary because a multitude of deceivers will emerge. It frames spiritual preparedness as an essential defensive posture against an undeniable and widespread threat.
• "Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’": This clause masterfully encapsulates the core characteristics of end-times deception: numerical strength ("many"), false authority/identity ("in my name," "I am he"), and manufactured urgency ("the time is near"). These three elements combine to create a compelling, yet false, narrative designed to draw away genuine followers.
• "Do not follow them.": This serves as a categorical imperative and a non-negotiable boundary. Despite the potential charisma or convincing rhetoric of these deceivers, Jesus’ command is simple and absolute: do not become their adherents. This instruction grounds faithful discipleship in exclusive allegiance to Christ.

Luke 21 8 Bonus section

The precise nature of "coming in my name" (ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου) goes beyond just using Jesus' title; it suggests an attempt to take on Jesus' very identity or role. This reflects a profound polemic against any entity claiming messianic authority apart from the true Christ. The Jewish context of the first century, riddled with various messianic claimants (e.g., Theudas, the Egyptian rebel described by Josephus), makes this warning incredibly timely for Jesus' initial audience. Luke, uniquely among the Synoptics, immediately follows this with "Do not follow them," emphasizing active avoidance rather than passive recognition of danger, reflecting his consistent call for clear moral and ethical responses from disciples. The spiritual warfare against deception is portrayed as a critical pre-cursor to the greater events of the end times, making a clear mind and firm faith more crucial than precise eschatological timetables.

Luke 21 8 Commentary

Luke 21:8 encapsulates Jesus' fundamental warning against spiritual delusion, particularly regarding end-time expectations. This verse, given in the context of the Olivet Discourse, shifts the focus from a purely observational curiosity about signs to a practical directive for spiritual resilience. Jesus is not merely describing future events but actively prescribing a response: discernment and disengagement.

The recurring emergence of "many" false claimants highlights the enduring human susceptibility to promises of unique spiritual knowledge or impending radical change. Their methods are timeless: leveraging Jesus' name for false legitimacy and manipulating an innate desire to understand divine timing. The phrase "I am he" is particularly potent; it's a deceptive mirroring of Jesus' own divine claims, making these imposters extremely dangerous as they attempt to co-opt sacred truth for their own ends. The appeal to "the time is near" creates an urgency that often overrides sound judgment and biblical grounding, leading followers down paths of fanatical behaviors, abandonment of responsibilities, or pursuit of novel revelations rather than steadfast endurance in known truth.

For believers, this verse is an enduring call to constant spiritual sobriety. It implies that true understanding and guidance come not from those who boast unique revelations or speculative timelines, but from deep commitment to the established truth of Jesus Christ as revealed in His word. Discernment demands careful comparison of any teaching against the authoritative Scripture and against the authentic person of Jesus. In practical terms, this means being wary of any leader or movement that excessively sensationalizes end-time events, demands absolute loyalty based on a self-proclaimed divine identity, or seeks to dictate actions through fear-mongering about imminent doom. Instead, faith rooted in the known Christ enables believers to wait with patience and active obedience, undistracted by the clamor of false prophets, until His glorious return.