Mark 11:23

For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.

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WEBBE

For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.

BSB

“Truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him.

KJV

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

ASV

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.

BBE

Truly I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and be put into the sea; and has no doubt in his heart, but has faith that what he says will come about, he will have his desire.

Original Greek

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ἀμὴν amēn Amen G281 γὰρ gar for G1063 λέγω legō I say G3004 ὑμῖν humin to you G4771 ὅτι hoti that G3754 ὃς hos who[ever] G3739 ἂν an maybe G302 εἴπῃ eipē may say G2036 τῷ tō to the G3588 ὄρει orei mountain G3735 τούτῳ toutō this G3778 ἄρθητι arthēti do be taken away G142 καὶ kai and G2532 βλήθητι blēthēti do be cast G906 εἰς eis into G1519 τὴν tēn the G3588 θάλασσαν thalassan sea G2281 καὶ kai and G2532 μὴ mē not G3361 διακριθῇ diakrithēa may doubt G1252 ἐν en in G1722 τῇ tēa the G3588 καρδίᾳ kardia heart G2588 αὐτοῦ autou of him G846 ἀλλὰ alla but G235 πιστεύῃ pisteuē may believe G4100 ὅτι hoti that G3754 ὃ ho what G3739 λαλεῖ lalei he says G2980 γίνεται ginetai takes place G1096 ἔσται estai it will be done G1510 αὐτῷ autō for him G846 ὃ ho what G3739 ἐὰν ean maybe G1437 εἴπῃ.¶ eipē he shall say G2036

The early church

(non occ.) Or else, as He did not dry up the fig tree for its own sake, but for a sign that Jerusalem should come to destruction, in order to show His power, in the same way we must also understand the promise concerning the mountain, though a removal of this sort is not impossible with God.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(ubi sup.) Or else, because the devil is often on account of his pride called by the name of a mountain, this mountain, at the command of those who are strong in the faith, is taken up from the earth and cast into the sea, whenever, at the preaching of the word of God by the holy doctors, the unclean spirit is expelled from the hearts of those who are fore-ordained to life, and is allowed to exert the tyranny of his power over the troubled and embittered souls of the faithless. At which time, he rages the more fiercely, the more he grieves at being turned away from hurting the faithful. It goes on: Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Christ then who is the mountain, which grew from the stone, cut out without hands, is taken up and cast into the sea, when the Apostles with justice say, Let us turn ourselves to other nations, since ye judged yourselves unworthy of hearing the word of God. (Acts 13:46)
Pseudo-Jerome · d. 9999Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(non occ.) The wonder of the disciples was the consequence of imperfect faith, for this was no great thing for God to do; since then they did not clearly know His power, their ignorance made them break out into wonder; and therefore it is added, And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, &c. That is; Thou shalt not only be able to dry up a tree, but also to change a mountain by thy command and order.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Consider the Divine mercy, how it confers on us, if we approach Him in faith, the power of miracles, which He Himself possesses by nature, so that we should be able even to change mountains.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 19–26

The disciples could not think why that fig-tree should so soon wither away; but all wither who reject Christ; it represented the state of the Jewish church. We should rest in no religion that does not make us fruitful in good works. Christ taught them from hence to pray in faith. It may be applied to that mighty faith with which all true Christians are endued, and which does wonders in spiritual things. It justifies us, and so removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies the heart, and so removes mountains of corruption, and makes them plain before the grace of God. One great errand to the throne of grace is to pray for the pardon of our sins; and care about this ought to be our daily concern.

Read Matthew Henry on Mark 11 →

Parallel passages

3

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 17:20Matthew 21:21Luke 17:6

Cross-references

11

Topics

FaithRighteousMountain

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.