Mark 3 28

Mark 3:28 kjv

Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

Mark 3:28 nkjv

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;

Mark 3:28 niv

Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter,

Mark 3:28 esv

"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,

Mark 3:28 nlt

"I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven,

Mark 3 verses

Mark 3 28 Meaning

Mark 3:28 proclaims the extensive and encompassing nature of God's forgiveness, declaring that nearly all forms of sin and even various blasphemies uttered by humanity are pardonable. This statement by Jesus emphasizes God's vast mercy and willingness to forgive, setting a general principle before introducing a singular, crucial exception in the subsequent verse regarding blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Mark 3 28 Context

Mark 3:28 is spoken by Jesus immediately after a confrontation with scribes from Jerusalem (Mark 3:22). These scribes, observing Jesus' undeniable power in casting out demons, maliciously attribute His divine power to Beelzebul, the prince of demons, stating, "He is possessed by Beelzebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons." In response, Jesus delivers several parables demonstrating the absurdity of a kingdom divided against itself (Mark 3:23-27). Verse 28 serves as Jesus' emphatic declaration about the breadth of divine forgiveness, preceding the stern warning in verse 29 about the singular unforgivable sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This declaration emphasizes God's vast mercy even for grievous sins, while simultaneously highlighting the profound spiritual danger of attributing the Holy Spirit's work, especially in the undeniable miracles of Christ, to satanic influence. It is a direct refutation and warning against the severe spiritual blindness and opposition demonstrated by the scribes.

Mark 3 28 Word analysis

• Truly (Greek: amēn, ἀμήν): This word, used here by Jesus, is a solemn affirmation, conveying absolute truth, certainty, and emphasis. It functions as a powerful introduction, underscoring the gravity and certainty of the declaration that follows.

• I say to you (Greek: legō hymin, λέγω ὑμῖν): A authoritative formula frequently used by Jesus, asserting His unique divine authority and direct divine revelation in His teachings.

• all sins (Greek: panta ta hamartēmata, πάντα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα):

  • all (panta): Signifies totality and comprehensiveness.
  • sins (hamartēmata): Refers to specific acts of missing the mark, moral failings, offenses, or trespasses. This broad term encompasses any deviation from God's perfect standard.

• will be forgiven (Greek: aphethēsetai, ἀφεθήσεται): From aphiēmi meaning "to send away," "to release," "to dismiss," "to remit," or "to pardon." The passive voice highlights that forgiveness is a divine action, bestowed by God. The future tense expresses a certain promise and truth about the scope of God's redemptive work.

• the children of man (Greek: tois huiois tōn anthrōpōn, τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων): This is a Semitic idiom referring to humanity in general. It emphasizes that this universal forgiveness is offered to all people, highlighting God's grace and redemptive desire for the entire human race.

• and whatever blasphemies they utter (Greek: kai hosa ean blasphēmēsōsin, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν βλασφημήσωσιν):

  • whatever (hosa ean): Signifies any number or kind.
  • blasphemies (blasphēmías, βλασφημίας, in other forms for "blaspheme"): The root meaning involves "injurious or slanderous speech," especially against the divine. It implies speaking impiously, reviling, or slandering God, His Name, His attributes, or His sacred work. The plural "blasphemies" indicates specific acts of such speech.
  • utter (blasphēmēsōsin, related verb): Refers to the act of speaking these impious words.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Truly, I say to you, all sins...will be forgiven": This emphatic declaration highlights Jesus' authoritative teaching that God's grace is universally applicable. It asserts that there is a path to forgiveness for every transgression, underscoring the breadth of divine mercy.
  • "all sins...and whatever blasphemies they utter": This pairing demonstrates that God's forgiveness extends not just to general moral failures but also to very specific and severe verbal offenses directed against God or sacred things. It establishes the extreme breadth of pardon, setting a powerful contrast for the specific exclusion found in the very next verse (Mk 3:29). This suggests that blasphemy against the Father or the Son (prior to their complete understanding of Christ's divinity as manifest by the Spirit) is pardonable.

Mark 3 28 Bonus section

• The placement of this verse, emphasizing comprehensive forgiveness, immediately before the "unforgivable sin" warning, magnifies the gravity of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. It stresses that such an act is a wilful, deliberate, and sustained rejection of divine truth, sealing oneself off from the very source of repentance and pardon.
• In its original Aramaic background (Jesus likely spoke Aramaic), "children of man" or "sons of man" was a common way to refer to human beings, emphasizing the universality of this message to all humanity.
• This verse, and its subsequent continuation in Mark 3:29, has led to much theological discussion throughout church history concerning the nature of unforgivable sin, emphasizing that it's not a single slip of the tongue but a hardened, deliberate, and continuous spiritual rebellion against clear divine light.

Mark 3 28 Commentary

Mark 3:28 is a profound declaration of God's abundant grace and willingness to forgive a vast spectrum of human offenses, including even the severe act of speaking blasphemy against the divine. Jesus states unequivocally that nearly all forms of human sin and reviling speech against God are eligible for pardon. This verse serves as a crucial theological setup for the immediately following warning in Mark 3:29, which details the single exception: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. By declaring the general forgiveness of all other sins and blasphemies, Jesus underscores the particularly grave and final nature of rejecting the undeniable work of the Holy Spirit, such as attributing His divine power (seen in Christ's exorcisms) to demonic forces, as the scribes had just done. It reassures humanity of God's boundless mercy, while simultaneously emphasizing the point of no return for those who stubbornly and maliciously reject divine truth.Example: A person who has struggled with cursing God in anger can find solace in this verse, understanding that even such verbal transgressions can be forgiven upon genuine repentance. Conversely, it alerts those who knowingly and persistently harden their hearts against the evident work of God through His Spirit to the profound spiritual peril they face.