New Living Translation
Mark 12:40
40Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”
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
38Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. 39And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.” 41Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
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 plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land.
- Micah 2:2When you want a piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. You cheat a man of his property, stealing his family’s inheritance.
- Micah 3:1I said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,
- Luke 20:47Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”
- 2 Timothy 3:6They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.
- Matthew 6:7“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
- Matthew 11:22I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.
- Matthew 23:33Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
- Luke 12:47“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished.
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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