MARK 4:33 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) And so as much as they could handle it, Yeshua shared the good message with them via many similar word pictures.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, 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 And with many such parables he was speaking the word to them, just as they were able to hear;

UST Jesus used many stories like these to teach the good news to the people who were there. He taught them as much as they could understand.

BSB With many such parables [Jesus] spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.

BLB And with many such parables He kept speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear,

AICNT And with many such parables, he was speaking the word to them, as they were able to understand;

OEB With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his message, as far as they were able to receive it;

WEBBE With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.

LSV And with many such allegories He was speaking to them the word, as they were able to hear,

FBV Jesus used many of these illustrated stories when he spoke to the people so they would understand as much as they could.

TCNT With many similar parables he spoke the word to them, to the extent that they were able to understand it.

T4T Jesus used many such illustrations when he talked to the people about God. If they were able to understand some, he kept telling them more.

LEB And with many parables such as these he was speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear it.[fn]

4:33 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

BBE And with a number of such stories he gave them his teaching, as they were able to take it:

Moff In many a parable like this he spoke the word to them, so far as they could listen to it;

Wymth With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.

ASV And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;

DRA And with many such parables, he spoke to them the word, according as they were able to hear.

YLT And with many such similes he was speaking to them the word, as they were able to hear,

Drby And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear,

RV And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it:

SLT And with many such parables spake he the word to them, as they were able to hear.

Wbstr And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it .

KJB-1769 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

KJB-1611 And with many such parables spake hee the word vnto them, as they were able to heare it.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And with many such parables preached he the worde vnto them, as they were able to heare it.
(And with many such parables preached he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.)

Gnva And with many such parables he preached the word vnto them, as they were able to heare it.
(And with many such parables he preached the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. )

Cvdl And by many soch parables he spake the worde vnto the, there after as they might heare it,
(And by many such parables he spake the word unto them, there after as they might hear it,)

TNT And with many soche similitudes he preached the worde vnto the after as they myght heare it.
(And with many such similitudes he preached the word unto the after as they might hear it. )

Wycl And in many suche parablis he spak to hem the word, as thei myyten here;
(And in many such parables he spake to hem the word, as they might here;)

Luth Und durch viele solche Gleichnisse sagte er ihnen das Wort, nach dem sie es hören konnten.
(And through many such parables/allegories said he to_them the word, after to_him they/she/them it hear/listen could.)

ClVg Et talibus multis parabolis loquebatur eis verbum, prout poterant audire:
(And such many parables spoke to_them the_word/saying, as they_could to_hear: )

UGNT καὶ τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς, ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον, καθὼς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν;
(kai toiautais parabolais pollais, elalei autois ton logon, kathōs aʸdunanto akouein;)

SBL-GNT Καὶ τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον, καθὼς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν·
(Kai toiautais parabolais pollais elalei autois ton logon, kathōs aʸdunanto akouein;)

RP-GNT Καὶ τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον, καθὼς ἐδύναντο ἀκούειν·
(Kai toiautais parabolais pollais elalei autois ton logon, kathōs edunanto akouein;)

TC-GNT Καὶ τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον, καθὼς [fn]ἐδύναντο ἀκούειν·
(Kai toiautais parabolais pollais elalei autois ton logon, kathōs edunanto akouein; )

4:33 εδυναντο ¦ ηδυναντο ANT CT TR

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:30–34: Jesus told the parable of a mustard seed

This parable compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed. The parable illustrates how God’s kingdom will grow from a very small beginning to a very large size.

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

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The parable about a mustard seed

Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a tiny seed that grows into a big shrub/bush

The mustard seed parable/story/illustration

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 13:31–34 and Luke 13:18–19.

4:33a

With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them,

¶ Many parables like that one are what Jesus used when he spoke/taught the word of God to the people,
¶ Jesus spoke/taught God’s message to the crowds with/using many similar parables,

With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them: The phrase With many such parables is emphasized in the Greek by being first in the clause. English can emphasize phrases in the same way, so the BSB put this phrase first. If you have a natural way to emphasize this phrase, you may want to do so.

parables: The Greek word that the BSB translates as parables is literally “comparisons.” Parables teach a lesson or truth by showing how it is like something that people already know about. In this chapter Jesus used several types of parables, including a symbolic story, metaphors, and wise sayings.

Here are some ways to translate parables in this context:

Use a general term in your language that can be used to describe the different types of parables in this chapter. Some English examples are:
illustrations
metaphors
Use a descriptive term. For example:
symbolic sayings/words/stories
Use more than one word or descriptive term for the different types of parables that Jesus used. For example:
such stories and illustrations (NLT96)
symbols and sayings

See also parable, Type 2, in the Glossary.

the word: The phrase the word refers to “the word of God” or “God’s message.” This same phrase occurs in 4:14. Translate it here in the same way as you did there.

them: The word them refers here to the crowds who listened to Jesus. It does not refer only to the disciples. You may want to make that clear in your translation. For example:

the people (GNT)

the crowd (NCV)

4:33b

to the extent that they could understand.

as much as they could accept/understand.
as long as they were willing to listen to them.
He spoke as many parables as they could pay attention to.

to the extent that they could understand: The Greek word that the BSB translates as understand is literally “hear,” as in the RSV. In this context, the word “hear” is used figuratively to mean “receive” or “understand.” The people were certainly capable of literally hearing what Jesus said.These figurative meanings do not conflict with the statement in 4:34b that Jesus later explained everything to his disciples. Most scholars mention that there were differing degrees of understanding. Jesus continued to teach people as long as they were willing to listen and had at least a limited understanding of what he was trying to say. Later, he explained the meaning of the parables in greater depth to his disciples.

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

so far as they were able to receive it (REB)

so far as they were capable of understanding it (NJB)

as long as they were willing to listen

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὸν λόγον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τόν λόγον καθώς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν)

Mark is using the term word to mean the gospel, which Jesus preached using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the gospel]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτοῖς

˱to˲_them

The pronoun them refers to the people who were there with him, not just the disciples. If this is not clear for your readers, you could refer to these people more directly. Alternate translation: [to the crowds] or [to the people who were near him]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καθὼς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τόν λόγον καθώς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν)

Here Mark could mean that: (1) Jesus told his audience as much as he knew that they could hear. Alternate translation: [teaching them all the things that they were able to hear] (2) Jesus spoke to his audience in a way that he knew they could hear. Alternate translation: [teaching them in a way that they could hear]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἀκούειν

˓to_be˒_hearing

Here Mark uses the word hear to refer to both hearing and understanding. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [to realize what he meant]

Parallel MARK 4:33

Section 4:30–34: Jesus told the parable of a mustard seed

4:33a

4:33b