Mark 12 · Verse 40

Mark 12:40

Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
Mark 12:40, King James Version

Mark 12:40 in other translations

BSBThey defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
WEBthose who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
ASVthey that devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.
YLTwho are devouring the widows' houses, and for a pretence are making long prayers; these shall receive more abundant judgment.'
DARBYwho devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext make long prayers. These shall receive a severer judgment.
BBEWho take away the property of widows, and before the eyes of men make long prayers; these will be judged more hardly.
WebsterWho devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

What does Mark 12:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
40. Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation--They took advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much the "greater damnation" awaited them. (Compare Mt 23:33). A lifelike description this of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes."

Mr 12:41-44. The Widow's Two Mites. ( = Lu 21:1-4).

See on Lu 21:1-4.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 40. Which devour widows' houses. Which devour the families of widows, or the means of supporting their families. This they did under pretence of counselling them in the knowledge of the law, and in the management of their estates. They took advantage of their ignorance and unprotected state, and either extorted large sums for their counsel, or perverted the property to their own use. No wonder that our Saviour denounced them! If there is any sin of peculiar enormity, it is thus taking advantage of the circumstances of the poor, the needy, and the helpless, and wronging them out of the pittance on which they depend to support their families. And as God is the Friend of the widow and the fatherless, it may be expected that such will be visited with heavy condemnation.

For a pretence. For show, or pretending great devotion.

(v) "widow's houses" 2Ti 3:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 12:35-40

When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common people hear these things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the former are happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy.

Read the full comment on Mark 12:35-40 →

Mark 12:40 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οἱhoithoseG3588
κατεσθίοντεςkatesthiontesdevouringG2719
τὰςtastheG3588
οἰκίαςoikiashousesG3614
τῶνtōnof theG3588
χηρῶνchērōnwidowsG5503
καὶkaiandG2532
προφάσειprophaseias a pretextG4392
μακρὰmakraat great lengthG3117
προσευχόμενοι,proseuchomenoipraying,G4336
οὗτοιhoutoiTheseG3778
λήμψονταιlēmpsontaiwill receiveG2983
περισσότερονperissoteronmore excessiveG4055
κρίμα.¶krimajudgment.G2917

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 12:40

  • Luke 20:47

    Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

  • Matthew 23:33

    Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

  • Matthew 6:7

    But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

  • Ezekiel 22:25

    There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

  • Luke 12:47-48

    And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

  • 2 Timothy 3:6

    For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

  • Micah 3:1-4

    And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment? Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron. Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
devour.
Eze 22:25; Mic 2:2; 3:1-4; Mt 23:14; Lu 20:47; 2Ti 3:6
long.
Mt 6:7; 11:22-24; 23:33; Lu 12:47,48

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 12:39

    And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

  • Mark 12:40

    Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

  • Mark 12:41

    And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

Read all of Mark 12

Mark 12:40 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que devoran las casas de las viudas, y por pretexto hacen largas oraciones. Estos recibirán mayor juicio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		qui dévorent les maisons des veuves, et pour prétexte font de longues prières; – ceux-ci recevront une sentence plus sévère.
German
Elberfelder 1871		welche die Häuser der Witwen verschlingen und zum Schein lange Gebete halten. Diese werden ein schwereres Gericht empfangen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		qui devorant domos viduarum sub obtentu prolixæ orationis: hi accipient prolixius judicium.