MARK 4:12 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) [ref]so that when they look they might see but not perceive,
⇔ and when they listen, they might hear but not understand,
⇔ otherwise they might turn from their sins and be forgiven.”

Key: khaki:verbs, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT so that,
⇔  ‘Looking, they may look but may not see,
⇔  and hearing, they may hear but may not understand,
⇔  lest they might turn back, and it might be forgiven to them.’ ”

UST That way, just as you can read in the Scriptures,
⇔  ‘They will look at things, but they will not really see them.
⇔  They will hear things, but they will not learn from them.
⇔  Otherwise, they would stop doing what is wrong, and God would forgive them.’ ”

BSB so that,
⇔ ‘they may be ever seeing [but] never perceiving,
⇔ and ever hearing [but] never understanding;
⇔ otherwise they might turn
⇔ and be forgiven.’[fn]”

MSB so that,
⇔ ‘they may be ever seeing [but] never perceiving,
⇔ and ever hearing [but] never understanding;
⇔ otherwise they might turn
⇔ and be forgiven their sins.’[fn]”

4:12 Isaiah 6:9–10 (see also LXX); CT does not include their sins.

BLB so that, 'Seeing, they might see and not perceive; and hearing, they might hear and not understand; lest ever they should turn, and they should be forgiven.'"

AICNT so that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven [[their sins]].”[fn][fn]

4:12, their sins: Some manuscripts include.

4:12, Isaiah 6:9-10 LXX

OEB “Though they have eyes, they may see without perceiving; and though they have ears, they may hear without understanding; otherwise some day they might turn and be forgiven.” ’

WEBBE that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’ ”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET so that although they look they may look but not see,
⇔  and although they hear they may hear but not understand,
⇔  so they may not repent and be forgiven.”

LSV that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest they may turn, and the sins may be forgiven them.”

FBV so that even though they see, they don't really ‘see,’ and even though they hear, they don't understand, otherwise they might turn to me and be forgiven.”[fn]

4:12 Quoting Isaiah 6:9-10.

TCNT so that
⇔ ‘they may see but not perceive,
⇔ and hear but not understand,
⇔ lest they should turn back and be forgiven [fn]of their sins.’ ”

4:12 of their sins ¦ CT

T4T As a result it is true what a prophet has written,
¶ Although they see what I do, they do not perceive what it means [DOU]. Although they hear what I say, they do not understand what it means [DOU]. So they do not ◄repent/turn away from their sinful behavior► in order that they would be forgiven {God would forgive them}.”

LEB so that
• ‘ they may look closely[fn] and not perceive,
• and they may listen carefully[fn] and not understand,
• lest they turn and it be forgiven them.’ ”[fn]

4:12 Literally “seeing they may see”

4:12 Literally “hearing they may hear”

4:12 A quotation from Isa 6:9–10|link-href="None"

BBE So that seeing they may see, and it will not be clear to them; and hearing it, they will not get the sense; for fear that they may be turned again to me and have forgiveness.

Moff so that
⇔ for all their seeing they may not perceive,
⇔ and for all their hearing they may not understand,
⇔ lest they turn and be forgiven."

Wymth that "`They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"

ASV 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.

DRA 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.

YLT that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest they may turn, and the sins may be forgiven them.'

Drby 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.

RV 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.
(that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest happily they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them. )

SLT That seeing they might see, and not know; and hearing they might hear, and not understand; lest they turn back, and their sins be remitted to them.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.

KJB-1611 That seeing they may see, and not perceiue, and hearing they may heare, and not vnderstand, lest at any time they should be conuerted, and their sinnes should be forgiuen them.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps That when they see, they may see and not discerne: and whe they heare, they may heare and not vnderstande, lest at any tyme, they shoulde turne, and their sinnes shoulde be forgeuen them.
(That when they see, they may see and not discern: and when they hear, they may hear and not understand, lest at any time, they should turn, and their sins should be forgiven them.)

Gnva That they seeing, may see, and not discerne: and they hearing, may heare, and not vnderstand, least at any time they should turne, and their sinnes should be forgiuen them.
(That they seeing, may see, and not discern: and they hearing, may hear, and not understand, least at any time they should turn, and their sins should be forgiven them. )

Cvdl that with seynge eyes they maye se, and not discerne: and that with hearinge eares they maye heare, and not vnderstode, lest at eny tyme they turne, and their synnes be forgeuen them.
(that with seeing eyes they may see, and not discern: and that with hearing ears they may hear, and not understood, lest at any time they turn, and their sins be forgiven them.)

TNT That when they se they shall se and not discerne: and when they heare they shall heare and not vnderstonde: leste at any tyme they shulde tourne and their synnes shuld be forgeve them.
(That when they see they shall see and not discern: and when they hear they shall hear and not understood: lest at any time they should turn and their sins should be forgive them. )

Wycl and se not, and thei herynge here and vnderstonde not; lest sum tyme thei be conuertid, and synnes be foryouun to hem.
(and see not, and they hearing here and understood not; lest some time they be converted, and sins be forgiven to hem.)

Luth auf daß sie es mit sehenden Augen sehen und doch nicht erkennen und mit hörenden Ohren hören und doch nicht verstehen, auf daß sie sich nicht dermal einst bekehren, und ihre Sünden ihnen vergeben werden.
(on/in/to that they/she/them it with seeing eyes see and though/but not recognise/realise and with hearing ears hear/listen and though/but not understand, on/in/to that they/she/them itself/yourself/themselves not dermal once convert, and their/her sins(n) to_them forgive become.)

ClVg ut videntes videant, et non videant: et audientes audiant, et non intelligant: nequando convertantur, et dimittantur eis peccata.
(as seeing let_them_see, and not/no let_them_see: and hearing let_them_hear, and not/no understand: never they_are_converted, and let_them_go to_them sins. )

UGNT ἵνα βλέποντες, βλέπωσι καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν; καὶ ἀκούοντες, ἀκούωσι καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν; μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς.
(hina blepontes, blepōsi kai maʸ idōsin; kai akouontes, akouōsi kai maʸ suniōsin; maʸpote epistrepsōsin kai afethaʸ autois.)

SBL-GNT ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσι καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσι καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν, μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ ⸀αὐτοῖς.
(hina blepontes blepōsi kai maʸ idōsin, kai akouontes akouōsi kai maʸ suniōsin, maʸpote epistrepsōsin kai afethaʸ ⸀autois.)

RP-GNT ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσιν, καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν· καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσιν, καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν· μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν, καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἁμαρτήματα.
(hina blepontes blepōsin, kai maʸ idōsin; kai akouontes akouōsin, kai maʸ suniōsin; maʸpote epistrepsōsin, kai afethaʸ autois ta hamartaʸmata.)

TC-GNT ἵνα
⇔ βλέποντες βλέπωσι, καὶ μὴ ἴδωσι·
⇔ καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσι, καὶ μὴ συνιῶσι·
⇔ μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς [fn]τὰ ἁμαρτήματα.
(hina
⇔ blepontes blepōsi, kai maʸ idōsi;
⇔ kai akouontes akouōsi, kai maʸ suniōsi;
⇔ maʸpote epistrepsōsi, kai afethaʸ autois ta hamartaʸmata. )

4:12 τα αμαρτηματα ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:10–12: Jesus told why he used parables

The disciples did not understand the parables that Jesus had been teaching. Jesus first explained the reasons that he taught with parables. Then he explained the parable of the sower (4:13–20).

It is good to translate the section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus explained his reason for teaching with parables

The reason Jesus taught in parables

The purpose of parables

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 13:10–15 and Luke 8:9–10.

4:12a–c

All the words inside the single quote marks are from Isaiah 6:9–10. If you usually introduce Old Testament Scripture in a particular way, you may want to do so here. An example is:

…so that (as the Scriptures say), “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”

4:12a

so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

in order that ‘they may indeed see, but they will not perceive,
so that ‘although they keep seeing what I do, they do not understand what they are seeing,
I do this so that they do/will not understand what they see.

so that: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as so that indicates purpose. Jesus spoke in parables so that those on the outside would not understand.In Hebrew thought, the distinction between purpose and result is blurred, since everything that happens is under God’s control. The difficult statement that Jesus used parables in order that outsiders would not understand probably needs to be understood in light of other passages in both the NT and OT that speak of God hardening the hearts of people who had already shown their unwillingness to listen and obey. As Edwards (page 133) points out, this quotation from Isaiah occurs six times in the NT, always in contexts of unbelief and hardness of heart. The NRSV says:

in order that

In some languages it may be clearer or more natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

I do this in order that

My purpose/reason for doing this is so that

they may be ever seeing but never perceiving: The Greek words that the BSB translates as they may be ever seeing but never perceiving are literally “seeing they may see but not perceive”The wording is different than the parallel verse in Matthew and Luke which have: “seeing, they do/may not see.” But the meaning is similar in all three. (as in the NASB). This clause is a quotation from the book of Isaiah. Jesus implied that the people who did not believe in him were like the people to whom Isaiah spoke. They would see what he did, but they would not understand the meaning of what they saw.

Most English versions use the word but to indicate the unexpected contrast between seeing and never perceiving. In some languages it may be more natural to express this contrast in other ways. For example:

although they are seeing, they are not understanding

they will not understand even though they see

Some languages may require an object for verbs like “see” and “understand.” Since this is a quotation from the Old Testament, it is good to make the object general. For example:

they may see and see proof of the truth, but never understand it

they may be ever seeing: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as they may be ever seeing refers to seeing the same thing many times. The people saw the things that Jesus did on many occasions over a period of time.

This meaning may be expressed in different ways. For example:

they may look and look (NJB)

they may indeed see (RSV)

never perceiving: In this context, the phrase never perceiving means that people did not understand the significance of what they had seen with their eyes.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

they do not understand

they will learn nothing (NLT)

4:12b

and ever hearing but never understanding;

and they may indeed hear, but they will not understand,
and although they hear what I say, they do not understand what they are hearing,
They will also not understand what they hear.

ever hearing but never understanding: The expression ever hearing but never understanding is similar in both form and meaning to 4:12a. The difference is that 4:12a focuses on seeing, whereas this clause focuses on hearing.4:12a–b is an example of Hebrew poetry (from Isaiah). An important feature of Hebrew poetry is parallelism, stating similar ideas but using different words. In this case, the words “seeing” and “hearing” in the first half of lines a and b both refer literally to ways in which a person receives information; that is, with his eyes and ears. The words “perceiving” and “understanding” in the second half of lines a and b both refer to the way a person processes that information with his mind.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

may indeed hear but not understand (RSV)

although they hear, they do/will not understand what they hear

In languages that require an object for the verb “hear,” the implied object is the truth. For example:

they hear the truth, but they do not understand it

General Comment on 4:12a–b

When you translate the similar ideas in 4:12a and 4:12b, use words in your language that fit naturally together. Some languages may need to use the same expression to translate “perceiving” and “understanding.”

In other languages, it may sound redundant to use the same word. If there is no other word that fits the context, the ideas in these two lines may be combined. For example:

they see and hear, but they do not understand anything

4:12c

otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”

lest they return to God and be forgiven.’ ”
and so they do not repent and receive God’s pardon.’ ”
If they did understand, they would turn to God, and he would clean/erase their sins.”

otherwise: The Greek word that the BSB translates as otherwise expresses another negative purpose for teaching in parables.The NJB takes this to refer to the people’s purpose in not paying attention: “to avoid changing their ways.” In English this negative purpose can be expressed in various ways. For example:

so that they may not turn again (NRSV)

lest they should turn again (RSV)

otherwise they might turn (REB)

This negative purpose is closely related to people fulfilling the preceding purposes in 4:12a–b. One way to express this relationship in English is with an “if” clause. For example:

If they did, they would turn to God (CEV)

If they did learn and understand, they would come back to me

turn: In this context, the verb turn means “repent.” It refers to turning from sin and toward God.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

turn to God (GNT)

turn from their sins (NLT96)

return to me (GW)The GW translates this expression with God speaking, which is the correct context in Isaiah.

repent (NET)

and be forgiven: The phrase and be forgiven expresses the result of the verb “turn.” The phrase is passive. If your language must say who forgives, you should say “God.”

Here is another way to translate the phrase in this context:

and God would forgive them

In this context the verb be forgiven means that God would choose not to punish the people for the evil/bad things that they had done, said, and thought. He would cancel their guilt and treat them as though they had not offended him.

See the note on “are forgiven” in 2:5c.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

Here, the phrase so that introduces the purpose for which Jesus uses parables when teaching people who are not his disciples. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different word or phrase that introduces a purpose. Alternate translation: [which is true in order that] or [and that is so that]

Note 2 topic: writing-quotations

ἵνα

in_order_that

Here Jesus quotes from the Old Testament scriptures, specifically from [Isaiah 6:9–10](../isa/06/09.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that indicates that Jesus is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: [so that, in the words of one of the prophets,] or [so that, as Isaiah the prophet wrote in the Scriptures,]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

βλέποντες, βλέπωσι & ἀκούοντες, ἀκούωσι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἵνα Βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καί μή ἴδωσιν καί ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσι καί μή συνιῶσιν μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καί ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς)

Isaiah is repeating forms of the verbs look and hear in order to intensify his expression of the idea that it conveys. If your language can repeat words for intensification, it would be appropriate to do that here in your translation. If not, your language may have another way of expressing the intensification. Alternate translation: [They will certainly look … they will certainly hear] or [They will indeed look … they will indeed hear]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐπιστρέψωσιν

˱they˲_˓may˒_turn_back

The author of the quotation is speaking of the people of Israel as if they had been traveling somewhere and had taken the wrong way and needed to turn back onto the right way. So, to turn back would be to start listening to and obeying God again. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [they might start obeying God again]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς

˱it˲_˓may_be˒_forgiven ˱to˲_them