New Living Translation
Mark 4:21
21Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.
Mark 4:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
- New International Version (NIV)He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?
Context of Mark 4:21
19but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. 22For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. 23Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Read all of Mark 4Mark 4:21 word by word
Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς μήτι ἔρχεται ὁ λύχνος ἵνα ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον τεθῇ ἢ ὑπὸ τὴν κλίνην; οὐχ ἵνα ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τεθῇ;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Isμήτιmēti · surely notG3385
- a candleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- a candleλύχνοςluchnos · lampG3088
- broughtἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- be putτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
- underὑπόhupo · by/under: underG5259
- bushelμόδιοςmodios · bucketG3426
- orἤē · orG2228
- a bedκλίνηklinē · bedG2825
- and notοὐou · noG3756
- be setἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- a candlestickλυχνίαluchnia · lampstandG3087
Cross-references for Mark 4:21
- Isaiah 60:1“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
- Matthew 5:15No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
- Luke 8:16“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
- Luke 11:33“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
- Ephesians 5:3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
- Philippians 2:15so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
- Mark 5:15A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
Commentaries on Mark 4:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Is a candle - put under a bushel! - The design of my preaching is to enlighten men; my parables not being designed to hide the truth, but to make it more manifest.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Is a candle brought - A candle is not lit up to be put immediately under a measure or a bed, where it can give no light. Its design is to give light. So my preaching by parables is not designed to obscure the truth, but to throw light on it. You should understand those parables, and, understanding them, should impart the truth to others also, as a candle throws its beams upon a dark world. Bushel - The word here used in the original means a measure for…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-34Verses 21-34 These declarations were intended to call the attention of the disciples to the word of Christ. By his thus instructing them, they were made able to instruct others; as candles are lighted, not to be covered, but to be placed on a candlestick, that they may give light to a room. This parable of the good seed, shows the manner in which the kingdom of God makes progress in the world. Let but the word of Christ have the place it ought to have in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21A lamp is lit to shine and provide light, not to stay hidden. Citizens of the kingdom of God must display the light of the good news about Jesus (4:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. And he said unto them, Is a candle--or "lamp" brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?--"that they which enter in may see the light" (Lu 8:16). See on Mt 5:15, of which this is nearly a repetition.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 4:21
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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