What Does Matthew 24:4 Mean in the King James?
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The danger is not only believing a lie; it is being led far enough off course that the lie becomes your direction.
THE MEANING
This warning meets you before confusion takes hold: your understanding can be steered by another’s words. To be deceived is to be led off course, so the danger reaches beyond a false sentence to the direction your mind takes. The verse makes vigilance part of seeing clearly.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that deception is harmless as long as you can spot one false sentence; a deceiver can redirect your whole course.
THE ROOT
πλανήσῃ
planēsē
GROWS FROM
πλαν-
plan-
to wander or lead astray
“deceive” in this verse is planēsē. The verb can mean to lead someone astray, and its word family includes wandering and error. Deception here reaches beyond a false statement: it can displace your bearings and change the direction you take.
ALSO GROWS
planáō: to wander; to lead astray
πλανάω
This verb names the movement hidden inside deception: someone can be led away from their course.
plánē: wandering; error or delusion
πλάνη
The related noun links deception with losing one’s way, not merely hearing an untrue claim.
planḗtēs: wanderer; planet
πλανήτης
The Greek word for a wandering body carries the same word family, echoing the image of movement away from a fixed course.
THE PATTERN
Deception redirects trust and perception, so discernment appears where voices compete for authority.
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.THE THREAD
And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:Mark’s parallel warning uses the same Greek verb, πλανήσῃ (planēsē), from πλανάω (planáō), meaning “to lead astray.” The repeated wording makes the danger precise: deception can displace your bearings, so the warning begins with seeing.
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