OET interlinear MARK 11:23

11:23a

Truly I tell you: There is a textual issue at the beginning of 11:23. Some Greek manuscripts begin this verse with a conjunction that is often translated as “For” or “Because.” (1) Most English versions follow the Greek manuscripts that do not include this conjunction. For example, the RSV says: “Truly, I say to you” (BSB, NIV, GNT, RSV, NJB, ESV, NET, NASB, REB, GW, NLT, CEV, JBP, NCV). (2) The KJV follows the Greek manuscripts that include the conjunction For. For example: “For verily I say unto you,” (KJV). It is recommended that you follow option (1) and the manuscripts that do not include this conjunction. Jesus often used the words that the BSB translates as Truly I tell you to begin a statement that he wanted to emphasize. It indicates that the statement was important and totally reliable, and that people should listen carefully to it. Jesus used this phrase eight times in Mark. Here it introduces Jesus’ assurance that God will answer prayer.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

I tell you the truth (NLT)

I assure you (GNT)

I can guarantee this truth (GW)

Be careful that the way you translate the expression Truly I tell you does not imply that other times Jesus did not tell the truth.

See how you translated this phrase in 10:15a.

11:23b

11:23c

11:23b–c

Jesus used the idea of commanding a mountain to throw itself into the sea as an example of something that seems impossible. It seemed impossible that a fig tree would dry up at a person’s command. It seemed even more impossible that a mountain would throw itself into the sea at a person’s command.

if anyone says to this mountain: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as if anyone says is literally “whoever says” (as in the RSV). Use an expression that can refer to anyone. One way to do this in English is to use the word “you” here. For example, the NCV says:

you can say to this mountain

to this mountain: The phrase this mountain refers to a mountain that Jesus and his disciples could see. Jesus may have been referring to the Mount of Olives where they were standing.

Be lifted up and thrown into the sea: This is a command that is addressed directly to the mountain, as though the mountain were a person that could hear and obey. It is like the command that Jesus gave to the fig tree in 11:14. But Jesus did not actually command a mountain to throw itself into the sea. He gave an example of what a person could say.

In some languages, it may be more natural to use indirect speech here. For example, the CEV says:

you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea

Be lifted up and thrown: There are two commands here: Be lifted up and thrown. The Greek verb that the BSB translates as Be lifted up is literally “be taken away.”

Here are some other ways to express these commands:

Be pulled up and thrown (NJB)

Go, throw yourself (NIV)

11:23d–e

and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen: In 11:23d–e, Jesus used two expressions that have a similar meaning. One is a negative expression and the other is a positive expression:

1. He must not doubt in his heart, but

2. he must believe that it will happen.

Be careful to use a form in your language that shows that these two conditions are parallel and similar in meaning. They are necessary conditions that a person must fulfill before the mountain will obey his command.

11:23d

has no doubt: The word doubt indicates that a person is uncertain or wavers in his belief. He is not convinced that a certain thing will happen. He questions it in his mind.

Here are some other ways to translate has no doubt:

does not question whether it will happen

does not worry that it may not happen

does not think, “This may not really happen”

in his heart: In the New Testament, the word heart refers figuratively to the part of a person that makes him able to think and feel. It includes the mind, will, and emotions. In some languages people refer to this part of a person as the mind, throat, liver, or stomach. You should use whichever word or phrase is natural in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate in his heart:

inwardly

in your mind (NCV)

See how you translated the word heart in 7:19a.

In this context it may be more natural in some languages to make implicit the phrase in his heart. It may already be implied by the word doubt. For example:

and has no uncertainty

doesn’t doubt (GW)

11:23e

but believes that it will happen: The verb believes here means that a person has confidence that God can and will do what the person trusts him to do. The person has confidence the God can and will act, even in extraordinary ways, in response to his need. In this context the person should believe that the mountain would get up and throw itself into the sea at his command.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

believes/trusts that it will happen

has confidence in God that he will cause what he said to happen

See how you translated the word “believes” in 9:23a–b. See also believe, Meaning 3, in the Glossary.

that it will happen: The word it refers to the command to the mountain “Go, throw yourself into the sea” in 11:23c.

11:23f

it will be done for him: There is a textual issue at the end of 11:23. Some Greek manuscripts have the clause “whatever he says” at the end of 11:23. (1) Most English versions follow the Greek manuscripts that do not include this clause. For example, the GNT says: “it will be done for him” (BSB, NIV, GNT, RSV, NJB, ESV, GW, NLT, CEV, JBP, NCV). (2) The KJV follows the Greek manuscripts that include the clause whatever he says. For example: “he shall have whatsoever he saith” (KJV). It is recommended that you follow option (1) and the manuscripts that do not include this clause. The Greek clause that the BSB translates as it will be done for him is literally “it will be for him.” In some languages it is possible to express this as:

it will happen/occur for him

it will be so for his sake

In other languages, the meaning can be expressed with a passive clause, as in the BSB. If you need to express this as an active clause, you can say:

God will cause it to be so for his sake.

God will make it happen for him.

it will be done: The clause it will be done is the result of the conditions in 11:23d–e being met. In other words:

• ^23d if the person who commands the mountain to throw itself into the sea does not doubt, and

• ^23e if he believes that what he commanded will happen,

• ^23f then it will happen.

If you use a word or expression such as “then” to introduce a result in your language, you should use that expression here.

it: The pronoun it refers to the thing that the person with faith commanded. If you need to express this more explicitly, you can say:

God will cause the mountain to throw itself into the sea for him.