But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Parallel translations
- WEB Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
- BSB He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
- NKJV But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.
- NASB and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.
- NLT In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
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
Jesus taught crowds only in parables but privately explained their meaning to his disciples.
Overview
Here Mark distinguishes the public teaching of the multitude from the private instruction of those who followed Jesus. The disciples received the explanation because they had drawn near to him, illustrating that intimacy with Christ brings understanding of the kingdom. This pattern points to the privilege of those given ears to hear and a heart to follow.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 16:25These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
- Luke 24:27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
- Mark 4:10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
- Matt 15:15–20Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
- Matt 13:36–43Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
- Luke 24:44–46And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
- Luke 8:9–10And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
- Mark 7:17–23And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
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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 4:34 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.