New English Translation
Mark 4:12
12so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.”
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, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables, so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.” 13He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand any parable? 14The sower sows the word.
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 to this very day the Lord has not given you an understanding mind, perceptive eyes, or discerning ears!
- Isaiah 6:9He said, “Go and tell these people: ‘Listen continually, but don’t understand! Look continually, but don’t perceive!’
- Isaiah 44:18They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern.
- Jeremiah 5:21Tell them: ‘Hear this, you foolish people who have no understanding, who have eyes but do not discern, who have ears but do not perceive:
- Matthew 13:14And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.
- Luke 8:10He said, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.
- John 12:37Although Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in him,
- Acts 28:25So they began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah
- Romans 11:8as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.”
- Jeremiah 31:18I have indeed heard the people of Israel say mournfully, ‘We were like a calf untrained to the yoke. You disciplined us and we learned from it. Let us come back to you and we will do so, for you are the Lord our God.
- Ezekiel 18:27When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.
- Acts 3:19Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,
- 2 Timothy 2:25correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth
- Hebrews 6:6and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt.
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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