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Mark 4:10–13

The Purpose of the Parables

10 And ewhen he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, fTo you has been given gthe secret of the kingdom of God, but for hthose outside everything is in parables, 12 iso that

“ ‘they jmay indeed see but not perceive,

and may indeed hear but not understand,

lest they kshould turn and be forgiven.’ ”

13 lAnd he said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

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Mark 4:10–13 — The New International Version (NIV)

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that,

“ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

and ever hearing but never understanding;

otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’

13 Then Jesus said to them, Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?

Mark 4:10–13 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 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. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — New Living Translation (NLT)

10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

11 He replied, You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

When they see what I do,

they will learn nothing.

When they hear what I say,

they will not understand.

Otherwise, they will turn to me

and be forgiven.’

13 Then Jesus said to them, If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

10 But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 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.’ ”

13 And He said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — New Century Version (NCV)

10 Later, when Jesus was alone, the twelve apostles and others around him asked him about the stories.

11 Jesus said, “You can know the secret about the kingdom of God. But to other people I tell everything by using stories 12 so that:

‘They will look and look, but they will not learn.

They will listen and listen, but they will not understand.

If they did learn and understand,

they would come back to me and be forgiven.’ ”

13 Then Jesus said to his followers, “Don’t you understand this story? If you don’t, how will you understand any story?

Mark 4:10–13 — American Standard Version (ASV)

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables: 12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them. 13 And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how shall ye know all the parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

10 And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him as to the parables. 11 And he said to them, To you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables, 12 that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven. 13 And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

10 When he was alone with his followers and the twelve apostles, they asked him about the stories. 

11 Jesus replied to them, “The mystery about God’s kingdom has been given ⸤directly⸥ to you. To those on the outside, it is given in stories: 

12 ‘They see clearly but don’t perceive. 

They hear clearly but don’t understand. 

They never return to me 

and are never forgiven.’ ” 

13 Jesus asked them, “Don’t you understand this story? How, then, will you understand any of the stories I use as illustrations? 

Mark 4:10–13 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

10 When He was alone with the Twelve, those who were around Him asked Him about the parables. 11 He answered them, The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables 12 so that

they may look and look,

yet not perceive;

they may listen and listen,

yet not understand;

otherwise, they might turn back

and be forgiven.

13 Then He said to them: Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12 in order that

they may indeed look, but not perceive,

and may indeed listen, but not understand;

so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’ ”

13 And he said to them, Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

10 And when he was alone, those around him together with the twelve began asking him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been granted the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

‘they may look closely and not perceive,

and they may listen carefully and not understand,

lest they turn and it be forgiven them.’ ”

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables?

Mark 4:10–13 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

10 Later Jesus was alone. The Twelve asked him about the stories. So did the others around him. 11 He told them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you. But to outsiders everything is told by using stories. 12 In that way,

“ ‘They will see but never know what they are seeing.

They will hear but never understand.

Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ ”

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this story? Then how will you understand any stories of this kind?

Mark 4:10–13 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.

11 And He was saying to them, To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,

12 so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they might return and be forgiven.”

13 And He said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?


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