Mark 4:21

Mark 4:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
• New International Version (NIV)He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?

Context of Mark 4:21

19and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold]. And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? [Is it] not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand? 22For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light. 23If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 4:21 word by word

Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς μήτι ἔρχεται ὁ λύχνος ἵνα ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον τεθῇ ἢ ὑπὸ τὴν κλίνην; οὐχ ἵνα ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τεθῇ;Read the interlinear

• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• lampλύχνοςluchnos · lampG3088
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• putτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087

Cross-references for Mark 4:21

• Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine! for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee.
• Matthew 5:15Nor do [men] light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house.
• Luke 8:16And no one having lighted a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a couch, but sets it on a lamp-stand, that they who enter in may see the light.
• Luke 11:33But no one having lit a lamp sets it in secret, nor under the corn-measure, but on the lamp-stand, that they who enter in may see the light.
• 1 Corinthians 12:7But to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit.
• Ephesians 5:3But fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints;
• Philippians 2:15that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights in [the] world,
• Mark 5:15And they come to Jesus, and they see the possessed of demons sitting [and] clothed and sensible, [him] that had had the legion: and they were afraid.

Commentaries on Mark 4:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Is a candle - put under a bushel! - The design of my preaching is to enlighten men; my parables not being designed to hide the truth, but to make it more manifest.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Is a candle brought … - A candle is not lit up to be put immediately under a measure or a bed, where it can give no light. Its design is to give light. So my preaching by parables is not designed to obscure the truth, but to throw light on it. You should understand those parables, and, understanding them, should impart the truth to others also, as a candle throws its beams upon a dark world. Bushel - The word here used in the original means a measure for…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-34Verses 21-34 These declarations were intended to call the attention of the disciples to the word of Christ. By his thus instructing them, they were made able to instruct others; as candles are lighted, not to be covered, but to be placed on a candlestick, that they may give light to a room. This parable of the good seed, shows the manner in which the kingdom of God makes progress in the world. Let but the word of Christ have the place it ought to have in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21A lamp is lit to shine and provide light, not to stay hidden. Citizens of the kingdom of God must display the light of the good news about Jesus (4:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. And he said unto them, Is a candle--or "lamp" brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?--"that they which enter in may see the light" (Lu 8:16). See on Mt 5:15, of which this is nearly a repetition.Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 4:21

• Bushel
• Influence
• Jesus, the Christ
• Measure
• Sermon
• Testimony
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Alone
• Care
• Cast
• Comparison
• Doctrine
• Lamp
• Bed; Bedchamber; Bedstead
• Bushel
• Candle; Candlestick
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on Mark 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings