Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Mark 4:21 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 21. 21And 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?
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse opens the unit at Mark 4:21 in “A Lamp Reveals and Careful Hearing Receives”: “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”.
A lamp is for seeing, and hearing has a measure
This verse is one part of that explanation in Mark 4:21-25. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Mark 4:21-25
Read Mark 4:21 with 4:21-25. This verse opens the unit at Mark 4:21 in “A Lamp Reveals and Careful Hearing Receives”: “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”. The complete unit's controlling movement is: 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.
What Remains True
Truth is meant to come into the light, and the care brought to hearing shapes what a person can receive. At Mark 4:21, opens the unit at Mark 4:21 in “A Lamp Reveals and Careful Hearing Receives”: “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”.
Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Mark 4:21-25 — A Lamp Reveals and Careful Hearing ReceivesSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
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 ↗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 ↗