Mark 11:31

Mark 11:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
• New International Version (NIV)They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
• New Living Translation (NLT)They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John.

Context of Mark 11:31

29But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33So 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.”

Mark 11:31 word by word

καὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες· ἐὰν εἴπωμεν· ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ· διὰ τί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they reasonedλογίζομαιlogizomai · to countG3049
• withπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• we shall sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• he will sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• did yeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• notοὐou · noG3756
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Mark 11:31

• Matthew 11:7As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
• Matthew 21:25The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
• John 1:15John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
• John 3:29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

Commentaries on Mark 11:31

• 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. 31-32Jesus placed his opponents in a difficult position. Either answer would hurt their authority and reputation with the people. If they denied that John was a prophet, the crowd would likely become angry. But if they admitted that John was a prophet, they would also have to accept what John said about Jesus. That answer would also respond to their own question about the authority of Jesus (11:28).Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 11:31

• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Authority in Religion
• Jesus Christ
• King, Christ As
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Olives, Mount of

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