Devine Scripture

Mark 11:14

What does Mark 11:14 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 11:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 11:14 means

In response to the barren fig tree's deceptive appearance, Jesus declared, "No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever." This curse, uttered in the hearing of His disciples, was not an act of petulance but a powerful prophetic object lesson. It symbolized God's impending judgment on unfruitful religious outward display without true spiritual produce, specifically pointing to Israel's spiritual barrenness despite its outward religious observance.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And his disciples heard it.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And his disciples heard it.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said to it, Let no man take fruit from you for ever. And his disciples took note of his words.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and Jesus answering said to it, `No more from thee--to the age--may any eat fruit;' and his disciples were hearing.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And answering he said to it: May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever! And his disciples heard it.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And answering he said to it, Let no one eat fruit of thee any more for ever. And his disciples heard [it].

Context

This verse records Jesus's direct curse upon the fig tree, which follows His discovery of its barrenness despite having leaves in verse 13. This powerful, symbolic act introduces the theme of judgment on unfruitfulness and serves as a significant prophetic warning, immediately preceding and paralleling His cleansing of the temple, another act of judgment on fruitless religious practice.

v.13And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs.

v.14This passage

v.15And they come to Jerusalem: and he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 21:33

    Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

  • 2 Peter 2:20

    For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.

  • Matthew 12:33

    Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit.

  • Deuteronomy 6:4

    Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:

  • Revelation 22:11

    He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still.

  • Isaiah 5:5

    And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

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