Mark 6:52
New International Version
for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

New Living Translation
for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

English Standard Version
for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Berean Standard Bible
for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.

Berean Literal Bible
for they had not understood about the loaves, but their heart had been hardened.

King James Bible
For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

New King James Version
For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

New American Standard Bible
for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

NASB 1995
for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

NASB 1977
for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Legacy Standard Bible
for they had not gained any insight about the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Amplified Bible
because they had not understood [the miracle of] the loaves [how it revealed the power and deity of Jesus]; but [in fact] their heart was hardened [being oblivious and indifferent to His amazing works].

Christian Standard Bible
because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

American Standard Version
for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Contemporary English Version
Their minds were closed, and they could not understand the true meaning of the loaves of bread.

English Revised Version
for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
(They didn't understand what had happened with the loaves of bread. Instead, their minds were closed.)

Good News Translation
because they had not understood the real meaning of the feeding of the five thousand; their minds could not grasp it.

International Standard Version
because they didn't understand the significance of the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Majority Standard Bible
for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.

NET Bible
because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

New Heart English Bible
for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Webster's Bible Translation
For they considered not the miracle of the loaves; for their heart was hardened.

Weymouth New Testament
For they had not learned the lesson taught by the loaves, but their minds were dull.

World English Bible
for they hadn’t understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for they did not understand concerning the loaves, for their heart has been hard.

Berean Literal Bible
for they had not understood about the loaves, but their heart had been hardened.

Young's Literal Translation
for they understood not concerning the loaves, for their heart hath been hard.

Smith's Literal Translation
For they understood not the loaves; for their heart was hardened.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For they understood not concerning the loaves; for their heart was blinded.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For they did not understand about the bread. For their heart had been blinded.

New American Bible
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

New Revised Standard Version
for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For they did not understand the miracle of the loaves of bread, because their hearts were confused.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For they had not learned from the bread, because their heart was stupid.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
for they had learned nothing from the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Godbey New Testament
For they did not understand concerning the loaves, for their heart was hardened.

Haweis New Testament
For they reflected not upon the loaves, for their heart was hardened.

Mace New Testament
for they were so stupid, they did not comprehend the miracle of the loaves.

Weymouth New Testament
For they had not learned the lesson taught by the loaves, but their minds were dull.

Worrell New Testament
for they did not understand concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Worsley New Testament
for their heart was stupified.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Walks on Water
51Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded, 52for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened. 53When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat.…

Cross References
Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

John 6:19-21
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. / But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” / Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Matthew 16:9-11
Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? / Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? / How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Mark 8:17-21
Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts? / ‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember? / When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered. ...

John 12:37-40
Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. / This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” / For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: ...

Exodus 14:11-12
They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? / Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

Psalm 95:8-11
do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, in the day at Massah in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work. / For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.” ...

Hebrews 3:7-10
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, / do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, / where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works. ...

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Deuteronomy 29:2-4
Moses summoned all Israel and proclaimed to them, “You have seen with your own eyes everything the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to all his land. / You saw with your own eyes the great trials, and those miraculous signs and wonders. / Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Romans 11:8
as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

2 Corinthians 3:14-15
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. / And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

Matthew 13:13-15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’


Treasury of Scripture

For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

they.

Mark 7:18
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

Mark 8:17,18,21
And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? …

Matthew 16:9-11
Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? …

their.

Mark 3:5
And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Mark 16:14
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Isaiah 63:17
O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

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Mark 6
1. Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country.
7. He gives the twelve power over unclean spirits.
14. Various opinions of Jesus.
16. John the Baptist is imprisoned, beheaded, and buried.
30. The apostles return from preaching.
34. The miracle of five loaves and two fishes.
45. Jesus walks on the sea;
53. and heals all who touch him.














for they had not understood
The Greek word for "understood" here is "συνίημι" (syniēmi), which means to bring together or to comprehend. This phrase indicates a lack of spiritual insight or perception. The disciples witnessed the miracle of the loaves, yet they failed to grasp its deeper significance. This highlights a recurring theme in the Gospels where the disciples often struggle to fully comprehend Jesus' teachings and miracles. It serves as a reminder of the human tendency to overlook spiritual truths even when they are directly in front of us.

about the loaves
The "loaves" refer to the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, an event that demonstrated Jesus' divine authority and compassion. In Jewish culture, bread was a staple of life, symbolizing sustenance and provision. The miracle of the loaves was not just about physical nourishment but pointed to Jesus as the Bread of Life, the ultimate provider of spiritual sustenance. The disciples' failure to understand this signifies a missed opportunity to recognize Jesus' divine nature and mission.

but their hearts
The "heart" in biblical terms often refers to the center of one's being, encompassing mind, will, and emotions. In Hebrew thought, the heart is the seat of understanding and decision-making. The condition of the heart is crucial in one's relationship with God. A receptive heart is open to divine truth, while a hardened heart is resistant and closed off. This phrase sets the stage for understanding the spiritual state of the disciples at this moment.

had been hardened
The Greek word for "hardened" is "πωρόω" (pōroō), which means to make callous or to render insensitive. This hardening is not necessarily a permanent state but indicates a temporary spiritual insensitivity or dullness. In the biblical narrative, a hardened heart often results from unbelief or disobedience. It is a condition that can be remedied through repentance and divine intervention. The hardening of the disciples' hearts serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of spiritual complacency and the need for continual openness to God's revelation.

(52) For they considered not.--This is peculiar to St. Mark, and may fairly be received as representing St. Peter's recollection of what had been the mental state of the disciples at the time. They had not drawn from the miracle of the Loaves the conclusion which they might have drawn, that all natural forces were subject to their Master's sovereignty. The personal connection of the Evangelist with the Apostle may, perhaps, also account for his omission of the narrative which St. Matthew gives of his rashness and failing faith.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

they had not understood
συνῆκαν (synēkan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4920: To consider, understand, perceive. From sun and hiemi; to put together, i.e. to comprehend; by implication, to act piously.

about
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

loaves,
ἄρτοις (artois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 740: Bread, a loaf, food. From airo; bread or a loaf.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

hearts
καρδία (kardia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2588: Prolonged from a primary kar; the heart, i.e. the thoughts or feelings; also the middle.

had been
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

hardened.
πεπωρωμένη (pepōrōmenē)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4456: To harden, render callous, petrify. Apparently from poros; to petrify, i.e. to indurate.


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NT Gospels: Mark 6:52 For they hadn't understood about the loaves (Mar Mk Mr)
Mark 6:51
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