21
AndΚαὶhe was sayingἔλεγενto them,αὐτοῖς“Isἔρχεταιthe lampὁ λύχνοςbroughtἔρχεταιtoἵναbe putτεθῇunderὑπὸthe basketτὸν μόδιονorἢunderὑπὸthe bed?τὴν κλίνηνIs it notοὐχtoἵναbe putτεθῇonἐπὶthe lampstand?τὴν λυχνίαν
Mark 4:21
Study it in the app“And he was saying to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under the basket or under the bed? Is it not to be put on the lampstand?”
With the Greek beneath
Mark 4:21, word by word
- he was sayingἔλεγενelegen
say
To express something in words to others.
Where else “elegen” appears- “Isἔρχεταιerchetai
come
To move to where someone is or to a place, and be present there.
Where else “erchetai” appears- the lampλύχνοςlychnos
lamp
Oil lamp.
Where else “lychnos” appears- be putτεθῇtethēi
put
To put something somewhere.
Where else “tethēi” appears- the basketμόδιονmodion
basket, measure
Measuring basket for grain, holding about nine liters.
Where else “modion” appears- the bedκλίνηνklinēn
bed, mat
Bed, couch; a stretcher.
Where else “klinēn” appears- the lampstandλυχνίανlychnian
lampstand
Lampstand: the stand on which a lamp is placed.
Where else “lychnian” appears
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
The lamp under the basket
Matthew 5:14-16Luke 8:16-18Luke 11:33
A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.
See them side by side
Mark 4:21-23
21And he was saying to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under the basket or under the bed? Is it not to be put on the lampstand? 22For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor has anything been secret but that it might come into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
14You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
16And no one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. 17For there is nothing hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will never be known and come into the open. 18So take care how you listen; for whoever has, it will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
33No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place or under the basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.
The context
20And those are the ones sown on the good soil, who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.”
21 · This verse (above)
22For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor has anything been secret but that it might come into the open.
To study Mark 4 in a group
1. What it says
What happened in the boat when the storm came, and what did Jesus do (vv. 37–39)?
2. What it means
What did Jesus mean by “whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” when telling the parable of the sower (vv. 3–9)?
3. How I live it
Jesus asked his disciples, “Why are you cowards?” (v. 40). What fear of today could you bring before him?