God’s Word Translation
Mark 11:33
33So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you why I have the right to do these things.”
Mark 11:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
- New International Version (NIV)So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Context of Mark 11:33
31They discussed this among themselves. They said, “If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘from humans,’ ⌞then what will happen⌟?” They were afraid of the people. All the people thought of John as a true prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus told them, “Then I won’t tell you why I have the right to do these things.”
Read all of Mark 11Mark 11:33 word by word
καὶ ἀποκριθέντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγουσιν· οὐκ οἴδαμεν. καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- they answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- unto JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- Weεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- cannotοὐou · noG3756
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
- do Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- youσύsu · youG4771
- byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
- authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
- I doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
Cross-references for Mark 11:33
- Isaiah 1:3Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know where their masters feed them. But Israel doesn’t know ⌞its owner⌟. My people don’t understand ⌞who feeds them⌟.
- Isaiah 6:9And he said, “Go and tell these people, ‘No matter how closely you listen, you’ll never understand. No matter how closely you look, you’ll never see.’
- Isaiah 29:9If you confuse yourselves, you will be confused. If you blind yourselves, you will be blinded. You are drunk, but not from wine. You stagger, but not from liquor.
- Isaiah 42:19Who is blind except my servant or deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one who has my trust or blind like the servant of the Lord?
- Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
- Jeremiah 8:7Even storks know when it’s time to return. Mourning doves, swallows, and cranes know when it’s time to migrate. But my people don’t know that I, the Lord, am urging them to return.
- Hosea 4:6I will destroy my people because they are ignorant. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be my priests. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.
- Malachi 2:7“A priest’s lips should preserve knowledge. Then, because he is the messenger for the Lord of Armies, people will seek instruction from his mouth.
- Matthew 15:14Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit.”
- Matthew 23:16“How horrible it will be for you, you blind guides! You say, ‘To swear an oath by the temple doesn’t mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gold in the temple means a person must keep his oath.’
- John 3:10Jesus told Nicodemus, “You’re a well-known teacher of Israel. Can’t you understand this?
- Romans 1:18God’s anger is revealed from heaven against every ungodly and immoral thing people do as they try to suppress the truth by their immoral living.
- 2 Corinthians 3:15Yet, even today, when they read the books of Moses, a veil covers their minds.
- 2 Corinthians 4:3So if the Good News that we tell others is covered with a veil, it is hidden from those who are dying.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10He will use everything that God disapproves of to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them.
- Job 5:13He catches the wise with their own tricks. The plans of schemers prove to be hasty.
Commentaries on Mark 11:33
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-33Verses 27-33 See the notes at Matthew 20:23-27.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-33Verses 27-33 Our Saviour shows how near akin his doctrine and baptism were to those of John; they had the same design and tendency, to bring in the gospel kingdom. These elders did not deserve to be taught; for it was plain that they contended not for truth, but victory: nor did he need to tell them; for the works he did, told them plainly he had authority from God; since no man could do the miracles which he did, unless God were with him.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33We do not know: The religious leaders of the nation admitted that they could not answer a simple question that the people had no difficulty in answering: John was sent from God. This response showed the Jewish leaders were not fit to lead on this issue. Their stubbornness, lack of desire to understand, and refusal to accept the truth made further discussion without purpose (3:5; 7:6; 4:12). God's judgment would come within that very generation (13:30)…Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 11:33
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Mark 11
- 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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