Mark 4:12

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 he was alone with his followers and the twelve apostles, they asked him about the stories. 11Jesus replied to them, “The mystery about God’s kingdom has been given ⌞directly⌟ to you. To those on the outside, it is given in stories: ‘They see clearly but don’t perceive. They hear clearly but don’t understand. They never return to me and are never forgiven.’ ” 13Jesus asked them, “Don’t you understand this story? How, then, will you understand any of the stories I use as illustrations? 14“The farmer plants the word.

Mark 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 to this day the Lord hasn’t given you a mind that understands, eyes that see, or ears that hear.
• 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 44:18They don’t know or understand anything. Their eyes are plastered shut, so they can’t see. And their minds are closed, so they can’t understand.
• Jeremiah 5:21Hear this, you stupid and senseless people! You have eyes, but you cannot see. You have ears, but you cannot hear.
• Matthew 13:14So they make Isaiah’s prophecy come true: ‘You will hear clearly but never understand. You will see clearly but never comprehend.
• Luke 8:10Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of God’s kingdom has been given ⌞directly⌟ to you. But it is given to others in stories. When they look, they don’t see, and when they hear, they don’t understand.
• John 12:37Although they had seen Jesus perform so many miracles, they wouldn’t believe in him.
• Acts 28:25The Jews, unable to agree among themselves, left after Paul had quoted this particular passage to them: “How well the Holy Spirit spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah!
• Romans 11:8as Scripture says, “To this day God has given them a spirit of deep sleep. Their eyes don’t see, and their ears don’t hear!”
• Jeremiah 31:18“I have certainly heard Ephraim mourn and say, ‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined. I was like a young, untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned, because you are the Lord my God.
• Ezekiel 18:27When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live.
• Acts 3:19So change the way you think and act, and turn ⌞to God⌟ to have your sins removed.
• 2 Timothy 2:25He must be gentle in correcting those who oppose the Good News. Maybe God will allow them to change the way they think and act and lead them to know the truth.
• Hebrews 6:6Yet, they have deserted ⌞Christ⌟. They are crucifying the Son of God again and publicly disgracing him. Therefore, they cannot be led a second time to God.

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

• Apostasy
• Blindness
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Quotations and Allusions
• Sermon
• Sower
• Wicked (People)
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Alone
• Care
• Cast
• Comparison
• Doctrine
• Parable
• Conversion
• Hap; Haply
• Jesus Christ
• Mark, the Gospel According to

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