Method for controlling a manipulator, and in particular a multi-axis articulated arm robot, comprising the following steps: Providing a plurality of reference data sets, wherein each reference data set is assigned a reference path progress variable (reference BFV), and wherein each reference data set describes a reference manipulator position, wherein the reference manipulator position describes a reference axis position of the manipulator which the manipulator takes according to path planning during a reference run; detecting an actual manipulator position, wherein the actual manipulator position describes an actual axis position of the manipulator, which the manipulator takes according to the path planning during an operational run; determining a value for an actual path progress variable (actual BFV), the path progress variable describing the progress of the path planning independent of a speed of the manipulator, wherein the value for the actual BFV is determined from the detected actual manipulator position and a previously detected actual manipulator position; selecting at least two different reference data sets based on the actual BFV, such that the values of the two reference BFVs of the selected reference data sets are closest to that of the determined value of the actual BFV, and calculating a reference manipulator position based on an interpolation of the selected reference data sets; identifying whether a difference between the calculated reference manipulator position and the detected actual manipulator position is greater than a predefined threshold value; and in response to identifying that a difference between the calculated reference manipulator position and the detected actual manipulator position is greater than the predefined limit value: stopping the manipulator, and/or reorienting or repositioning the manipulator. Providing a plurality of reference data sets, wherein each reference data set is assigned a reference path progress variable (reference BFV), and wherein each reference data set describes a reference manipulator position, wherein the reference manipulator position describes a reference axis position of the manipulator which the manipulator takes according to path planning during a reference run; detecting an actual manipulator position, wherein the actual manipulator position describes an actual axis position of the manipulator, which the manipulator takes according to the path planning during an operational run; determining a value for an actual path progress variable (actual BFV), the path progress variable describing the progress of the path planning independent of a speed of the manipulator, wherein the value for the actual BFV is determined from the detected actual manipulator position and a previously detected actual manipulator position; selecting at least two different reference data sets based on the actual BFV, such that the values of the two reference BFVs of the selected reference data sets are closest to that of the determined value of the actual BFV, and calculating a reference manipulator position based on an interpolation of the selected reference data sets; identifying whether a difference between the calculated reference manipulator position and the detected actual manipulator position is greater than a predefined threshold value; and in response to identifying that a difference between the calculated reference manipulator position and the detected actual manipulator position is greater than the predefined limit value: stopping the manipulator, and/or reorienting or repositioning the manipulator.