God’s Word Translation
Mark 12:40
40They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The experts in Moses’ Teachings will receive the most severe punishment.”
Mark 12:40 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
- New International Version (NIV)They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."
- New King James Version (NKJV)who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
Context of Mark 12:40
38As he taught, he said, “Watch out for the experts in Moses’ Teachings! They like to walk around in long robes, to be greeted in the marketplaces, 39and to have the front seats in synagogues and the places of honor at dinners. They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The experts in Moses’ Teachings will receive the most severe punishment.” 41As Jesus sat facing the temple offering box, he watched how ⌞much⌟ money people put into it. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42A poor widow dropped in two small coins, worth less than a cent.
Read all of Mark 12Mark 12:40 word by word
οἱ κατεσθίοντες τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι, οὗτοι λήμψονται περισσότερον κρίμα.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whichὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- devourκατεσθίωkatesthiō · to devourG2719
- widows’χήραchēra · widowG5503
- housesοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- for a pretenceπρόφασιςprophasis · pretenseG4392
- makeπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
- longμακρόςmakros · long/distantG3117
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- shall receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- greaterπερισσόςperissos · excessiveG4053
- damnationκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
Cross-references for Mark 12:40
- Ezekiel 22:25Your princes are like roaring lions who tear their prey into pieces. They eat people and take their treasures and precious belongings. They turn many women into widows.
- Micah 2:2They desire ⌞other people’s⌟ fields, so they seize them. They desire ⌞people’s⌟ houses, so they take them. They cheat a man and his family, a man and his inheritance.
- Micah 3:1Then I said: Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You should know justice.
- Luke 20:47They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The experts in Moses’ Teachings will receive the most severe punishment.”
- 2 Timothy 3:6Some of these men go into homes and mislead weak-minded women who are burdened with sins and led by all kinds of desires.
- Matthew 6:7“When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot.
- Matthew 11:22I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
- Matthew 23:33“You snakes! You poisonous snakes! How can you escape being condemned to hell?
- Luke 12:47“The servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t get ready to do it will receive a hard beating.
Commentaries on Mark 12:40
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 40Which devour widows‘ houses - Which devour the families of widows, or the means of supporting their families. This they did under pretence of counseling them in the knowledge of the law and in the management of their estates. They took advantage of their ignorance and their unprotected state, and either extorted large sums for their counsel, or perverted the property to their own use. No wonder that our Saviour denounced them! If there is any sin of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 35-40Verses 35-40 When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common people hear these things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the former are happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 40The teachers of religious law broke the second command by failing to love their neighbors, as was seen in their cheating widows of their property. They clearly were cheating the most vulnerable and needy people despite God’s concern for widows (Deuteronomy 14:29; Psalms 68:5; 146:9; Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 7:6; 49:11) and his condemnation of those who mistreat them (Isaiah 1:23; Ezekiel 22:7; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5). The teachers of religious law…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4040. Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation--They took advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much the "greater damnation" awaited them. (Compare Mt 23:33). A lifelike description this of the Romish clergy, the true successors of…Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 12:40
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Mark 12
- 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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