For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.
Parallel translations
- WEB For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.
- KJV For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
- BSB For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.
- NKJV For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.
- NASB For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Nothing is hidden except to be made known. It matters because it promises that the now-veiled mysteries of the kingdom will be fully revealed.
Overview
Jesus assures that present concealment serves an eventual disclosure. The mysteries spoken in parables, and ultimately Christ himself, will be brought fully to light. This points toward the open proclamation of the gospel after the resurrection and the final unveiling of all things in God's purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Luke 8:17For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light.
- Eccl 12:14For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
- Ps 78:2–4I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,
- Matt 10:26–27Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.
- Ps 40:9–10I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.
- Acts 4:20for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”
- Luke 12:2–3But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, nor hidden, that will not be known.
- Acts 20:27for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
- 1 Jn 1:1–3That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 4:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.