EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Mark 4:12
12This is so that: “They are always looking but they do not see clearly. They are always listening but they do not understand.” If they did understand, they would turn to God. Then God would forgive them.’
Mark 4:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
- New International Version (NIV)so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)so that "'they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
Context of Mark 4:12
10When Jesus was alone, the 12 apostles and other people who were there asked him about the stories. 11Jesus replied, ‘God has let you understand how he rules in the lives of his people. But these other people only listen to stories. This is so that: “They are always looking but they do not see clearly. They are always listening but they do not understand.” If they did understand, they would turn to God. Then God would forgive them.’ 13Then Jesus answered the people who had asked him about the story. ‘You should understand this story. If you do not understand it, you will not understand any of my stories. 14The seeds are like the message from God. The farmer is like a person who tells people about that message.
Read all of Mark 4Mark 4:12 word by word
ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσιν καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖςRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- seeingβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- notμήmē · notG3361
- perceiveὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- hearingἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- understandσυνίημιsuniēmi · to understandG4920
- lest at any timeμήποτεmēpote mē pote · lestG3379
- they should be convertedἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
- sinsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- sinsἁμάρτημαhamartēma · sinG265
- should be forgivenἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: forgiveG863
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Mark 4:12
- Deuteronomy 29:4But until now the Lord has not let you understand why he did that. You saw and you heard those things, but you did not understand.
- Isaiah 6:9The Lord said, ‘Go! Tell my message to those people: “You will continue to listen, but you will never understand! You will continue to look, but you will not see anything!”
- Isaiah 44:18People like that are stupid. They do not understand anything. They cannot see the truth, as if they are blind. Their minds cannot think properly.
- Jeremiah 5:21Tell them, “Hear this message, you foolish and stupid people. You have eyes, but you do not see properly. You have ears, but you do not hear properly.” ’
- Matthew 13:14Long ago, the prophet Isaiah spoke a message from God about those people. Now it has become true. God said: “You will listen and listen. But you will not understand. You will look and look. But you will not see anything.
- Luke 8:10Jesus replied, ‘God has let you know what these stories mean. You understand how God rules in the lives of his people. But other people only listen to my stories. They look, but they do not really see clearly. They hear the words, but they do not really understand.’
- John 12:37Jesus had done many miracles that the people themselves had seen. But even then, they still did not believe in him.
- Acts 28:25They argued about it with each other. When they began to leave the house, Paul said, ‘The Holy Spirit spoke a true message to your ancestors. He gave this message to Isaiah, the prophet:
- Romans 11:8It says this in the Bible: ‘God caused them to be like people who are sleeping. Even until this day, their eyes cannot really see, and their ears cannot really hear.’
- Jeremiah 31:18‘I have heard Israel's people when they are sad. They say to me, “You punished us, and we accepted it. You taught us to obey you, like a farmer teaches an ox to work for him. So let us come back to serve you. We are ready to return to you, because you are the Lord, our God.
- Ezekiel 18:27And if a wicked person stops doing wicked things and he does things that are right, he will continue to live.
- Acts 3:19So you must stop doing wrong things. Change how you live and turn to God. Then God will forgive you for all the wrong things that you have done.
- 2 Timothy 2:25When people speak against God's true message, teach them carefully. Help them to understand what is right. Maybe God will change how they think so that they believe the true message.
- Hebrews 6:6But after all that, they have turned against God. Then it is impossible for anyone to help them to turn away from their sins again. It is like they are killing the Son of God on the cross again for themselves. They show other people that they do not think Christ is important.
Commentaries on Mark 4:12
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-13Verses 10-13 See the notes at Matthew 13:10-17. On Mark 4:12, see the notes at John 12:39-40. When he was alone - That is, separate from the multitude. When he withdrew from the multitude a few followed him for the purpose of more instruction. Mark 4:13 Know ye not this parable? - This which is so plain and obvious. How then will ye know all parables? - Those which are more difficult and obscure. As they were themselves to be “teachers,” it was important…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12The true followers of Jesus could understand the secret of the kingdom of God. They knew the kingdom had arrived (1:14–15). They knew that the Christ, the Son of God, was among them (1:1). To those on the outside, it seemed like riddles. When Jesus answered the disciples’ question, he showed that he used parables to keep outsiders from understanding. This was so that they would be unable to repent and be forgiven. The quotation from Isaiah 6:9–10 in the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1211-12. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them, &c.--See on Mt 13:10-17.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 4:12
In the dictionaries
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
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