Mark 4:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He also said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς, Μήτι ὁ λύχνος ἔρχεται ἵνα ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον τεθῇ, ἢ ὑπὸ τὴν κλίνην; οὐχ ἵνα ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν ἐπιτεθῇ;

Transliteration

And elegen to them, Mēti the lychnos erchetai hina hypo the modion tethē, or hypo the klinēn? not hina epi the lychnian epitethē?

Grammar Details

• *elegen*: imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular - he was saying
• *Mēti*: interrogative particle - not
• *lychnos*: nominative, masculine, singular - lamp
• *erchetai*: present middle indicative, 3rd person singular - comes
• *hina*: conjunction - so that
• *hypo*: preposition + accusative - under
• *modion*: accusative, masculine, singular - basket/measure
• *tethē*: aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd person singular - might be placed
• *klinēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - bed
• *epi*: preposition + accusative - on/upon
• *lychnian*: accusative, feminine, singular - lampstand
• *epitethē*: aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd person singular - might be placed upon

Word Meanings

• *Mēti*: not/surely not [expecting negative answer]
• *lychnos*: lamp/light
• *erchetai*: comes/is brought
• *modion*: basket/measuring container
• *tethē*: might be placed/put
• *klinēn*: bed/couch
• *lychnian*: lampstand/candlestick
• *epitethē*: might be placed upon/set on

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he said to them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a candlestick?

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, [and] not to be put on the stand?

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he sayde vnto them: is ye candle lighted to be put vnder a busshell or vnder ye table and not rather to be put on a cadelstick?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he sayde vnto the: Is a candle lighted to be put vnder a busshell, or vnder a table? Is it not lighted, to be set vpon a candelsticke?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Also he saide vnto them, Commeth the candle in, to be put vnder a bushell, or vnder the bed, and not to be put on a candlesticke?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he saide vnto them: Is the candle lyghted to be put vnder a busshell, or vnder the table? And not to be put on a candelsticke?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ And he said unto them, ‹Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said to them, "Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket{Literally, a modion, a dry measuring basket containing about a peck (about 9 litres)} or under a bed? Isn't it put on a lampstand?

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he said to them, `Doth the lamp come that under the measure it may be put, or under the couch -- not that it may be put on the lamp-stand?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, `and' not to be put on the stand?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, [and] not to be put on the stand?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said to them, When the light comes in, do people put it under a vessel, or under the bed, and not on its table?

• World English Bible (2000)

  He said to them, "Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn't it put on a stand?

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Parable of the Lamp He also said to them,“A lamp isn’t brought to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it to be placed on a lampstand?

Referenced Verses

• Matt 5:15 : 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
• Luke 11:33 : 33 No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.
• Luke 8:16 : 16 No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they set it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see the light.
• Isa 60:1-3 : 1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness the nations, but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
• 1 Cor 12:7 : 7 To each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
• Eph 5:3-9 : 3 But sexual immorality, all impurity, or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Nor should there be filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are not fitting, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For you know this with certainty, that no sexually immoral, impure, or greedy person—who is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore, do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.) 10 Prove what is well-pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of what they do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is made visible is light. 14 Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 Be very careful, then, how you walk—not as unwise but as wise.
• Phil 2:15-16 : 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverted generation. Among them, you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I did not labor or run in vain.