Mark 4:21

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?

📖 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

• 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?

• 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?

• 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 men light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
• Luke 11:33 : 33 No one, when he has lit a candle, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a candlestick, that those who come in may see the light.
• Luke 8:16 : 16 No man, when he has lit a candle, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed; but sets it on a candlestick, that those who enter 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, the darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the people; but the LORD shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
• 1 Cor 12:7 : 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.
• Eph 5:3-9 : 3 But sexual immorality, and all impurity, or greed, let it not even be mentioned among you, as is proper for saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse joking, which are not fitting: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no sexually immoral, unclean, 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 comes upon the children of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers 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 and righteousness and truth;) 10 Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light: for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore he says, Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. 15 See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise,
• Phil 2:15-16 : 15 That you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, nor labored in vain.