Mark 4:21-25, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
Mark 4:21-25
A Lamp Reveals and Careful Hearing Receives
Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received.
Why this sits here
The commands to hear in the sower discourse continue through lamp and measure sayings, showing that kingdom disclosure and the hearer's attentiveness belong together.
Mark 4:21-25 opens with “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a…” and closes with “For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be….”
Why this reading fits
Interpretive limit or uncertainty
These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
A needed correction
Reading Mark 4:21-25 in its complete Markan, Jewish, first-century, and Passion-shaped setting rules out these uses:
The measure saying does not bless wealth inequality or blame poor people.
Hidden things becoming manifest does not excuse invading privacy.
Careful hearing does not require unquestioning obedience to a human teacher.
What remains true
Truth is meant to come into the light, and the care brought to hearing shapes what a person can receive.
How this should shape us
What faithful practice follows?
Listen attentively and practice transparent truth while respecting privacy and refusing economic uses of the measure saying.
Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Read it sentence by sentenceEach line inside the larger movement
Narrative and structural evidence
Mark 4:21-25 opens with “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a…” and closes with “For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be….” The internal movement runs from “Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received” to “Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received.”
Interpretive limit or uncertainty
These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
What the first readers would have understoodRelevant history and culture
Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, and Roman rule
Mark narrates Jesus and Jewish contemporaries within first-century Galilean, Judean, temple, village, household, synagogue, and Roman-imperial settings. For Mark 4:21-25, the needed reconstruction is bounded by: These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
How certain? probableWhy translations sometimes differMaterial translation choices
KJV wording in 4:21-25
The pinned KJV remains displayed. SBLGNT, STEP, and NET comparison clarify older English, syntax, and material alternatives where this unit requires them: These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
How certain? probableEarlier Scripture and inherited backgroundSupported quotations, allusions, and inherited ideas
Israel's Scriptures and Jewish life
Mark 4:21-25 belongs inside Jewish Scripture, worship, purity, Sabbath, kingdom, temple, Passover, prophetic hope, and debate as locally relevant. Christian interpretation must preserve that first horizon and reject antisemitic or supersessionist caricature.
How certain? strongHow this connects with the rest of ScriptureThe passage's own meaning remains primary
Synoptic and canonical relationships
Mark's own wording and sequence control Mark 4:21-25. Matthew and Luke often reuse or reshape Mark under the widely supported Markan-priority model, while Matthean-priority and other models remain alternatives; parallels may clarify reception but cannot overwrite Mark.
How certain? probableTextual variantsManuscript differences only when they affect meaning
Text and transmission
Mark's textual history is checked against the SBLGNT and NET notes. The material local control is: These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
How certain? probableWhere careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters differ?
Best judgment: These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
How certain? probableTheology that emerges from this passageConclusions drawn after reading the complete section
Theological contribution
God's kingdom, Jesus' identity and authority, Passion-shaped service, faithful following, accountable power, mercy, resurrection hope, and care for vulnerable people control the theological use of Mark 4:21-25.
How certain? strongTheological contribution
Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received.
How certain? strongCommon ways this passage gets misusedFair explanation, context check, and stronger reading
The measure saying does not bless wealth inequality or blame poor people.
A memorable line or action in movement 18 can be detached from its actors, first-century setting, and Mark's Passion-shaped plot.
Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received.
Read Mark 4:21-25 as the complete unit, preserve These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
The measure saying does not bless wealth inequality or blame poor people.
Hidden things becoming manifest does not excuse invading privacy.
A memorable line or action in movement 18 can be detached from its actors, first-century setting, and Mark's Passion-shaped plot.
Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received.
Read Mark 4:21-25 as the complete unit, preserve These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
Hidden things becoming manifest does not excuse invading privacy.
Careful hearing does not require unquestioning obedience to a human teacher.
A memorable line or action in movement 18 can be detached from its actors, first-century setting, and Mark's Passion-shaped plot.
Lamp and measure sayings call hearers to expect disclosure and to attend carefully, because the measure used and the quality of hearing shape what is received.
Read Mark 4:21-25 as the complete unit, preserve These sayings continue the hearing theme after the sower. 'To him that hath shall be given' concerns reception within this discourse, not moral approval of economic inequality.
Careful hearing does not require unquestioning obedience to a human teacher.
Research trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph flags, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Mark 4:21-25, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, sentence relations, and material variants checked independently of the KJV.
Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Mark.txt, 4:21-25
Supports: Greek forms, morphology, and lexical ranges; context controls sense.
STEP Bible Data official repository, TAGNT Matthew–Acts data, rows for 4:21-25
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, older-English clarification, variants, background, and alternatives.
NET Bible Mark PDF, printed pp. 1868–1901, 4:21-25 and attached translator/textual notes
Supports: Narrative boundaries, plot, characterization, kingdom, Christology, discipleship, conflict, Passion, and ending.
Broadhead, Mark, printed pp. 31–54, Mark 3.7–6.6a; subsection covering 4:21-25
Supports: Authorship/date limits, whole-book movement, secrecy, disciple failure, Passion, Sonship, and reader-first context.
Enter the Bible Mark course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, Theological Themes, and related passage index; applied to 4:21-25
Supports: A complete confessional evangelical interpretation used as one traditioned voice, not consensus.
McKinley, “Mark,” Introduction and commentary heading covering Mark 4:21-25
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph flags, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Exact location: Mark 4:21-25, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, sentence relations, and material variants checked independently of the KJV.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Mark.txt, 4:21-25
Open the Mark Greek text file ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Greek forms, morphology, and lexical ranges; context controls sense.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data official repository, TAGNT Matthew–Acts data, rows for 4:21-25
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Mark with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, older-English clarification, variants, background, and alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible Mark PDF, printed pp. 1868–1901, 4:21-25 and attached translator/textual notes
Open the official NET Mark PDF ↗modern scholarly narrative commentary
Mark, Second Edition
Edwin K. Broadhead
Sheffield Phoenix Press; distributed online by the Society of Biblical Literature, 2009
Supports: Narrative boundaries, plot, characterization, kingdom, Christology, discipleship, conflict, Passion, and ending.
Exact location: Broadhead, Mark, printed pp. 31–54, Mark 3.7–6.6a; subsection covering 4:21-25
Open Broadhead's complete Mark commentary ↗modern scholarly book introduction
Mark course: summary, outline, background, introductory issues, theological themes, and Bible in the world
Paul S. Berge; revised by Kristofer Phan Coffman
Enter the Bible, Luther Seminary, 2023 revision; current online course inspected 2026
Supports: Authorship/date limits, whole-book movement, secrecy, disciple failure, Passion, Sonship, and reader-first context.
Exact location: Enter the Bible Mark course, Summary, Outline, Background, Introductory Issues, Theological Themes, and related passage index; applied to 4:21-25
Open the Enter the Bible Mark course ↗modern open confessional commentary
Mark
Mike McKinley
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023 online edition
Supports: A complete confessional evangelical interpretation used as one traditioned voice, not consensus.
Exact location: McKinley, “Mark,” Introduction and commentary heading covering Mark 4:21-25
Open McKinley's Mark commentary ↗