Mark 11:17 Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

◄ Mark 11:17 ►

New International Version
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

New Living Translation
He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

English Standard Version
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Berean Literal Bible
And He began teaching, and was saying to them, "Has it not been written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

King James Bible
And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

New King James Version
Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written: ‘MY HOUSE WILL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a DEN OF ROBBERS.”

NASB 1995
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS ‘? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

NASB 1977
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Amplified Bible
He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Christian Standard Bible
He was teaching them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then He began to teach them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!”

American Standard Version
And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers.

Contemporary English Version
Then he taught the people and said, "The Scriptures say, 'My house should be called a place of worship for all nations.' But you have made it a place where robbers hide!"

English Revised Version
And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he taught them by saying, "Scripture says, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves."

Good News Translation
He then taught the people: "It is written in the Scriptures that God said, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.' But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves!"

International Standard Version
Then he began to teach them: "It is written, is it not, 'My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you've turned it into a hideout for bandits!"

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, ?Is it not written: ?My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?? But you have made it ?a den of robbers.??

NET Bible
Then he began to teach them and said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!"

New Heart English Bible
He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it a den of robbers."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called by all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Weymouth New Testament
And He remonstrated with them. "Is it not written," He said, "'My House shall be called The House of Prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it what it now is--a robbers' cave."

World English Bible
He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers!”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and He was teaching, saying to them, “Has it not been written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations? And you made it a den of robbers!”

Berean Literal Bible
And He began teaching, and was saying to them, "Has it not been written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

Young's Literal Translation
and he was teaching, saying to them, 'Hath it not been written -- My house a house of prayer shall be called for all the nations, and ye did make it a den of robbers?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he taught, saying to them, Has it not been written, That my house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations? and ye made it a den of robbers.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he taught, saying to them: Is it not written, My house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he taught them, saying: “Is it not written: ‘For my house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it into a den of robbers.”

New American Bible
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves.”

New Revised Standard Version
He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And he taught them and said to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called the house of prayer for all the peoples? But you have made it a bandits’ cave.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he taught and he said to them, “Is it not written: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it a den of robbers.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
And he taught, saying to them: Is it not written, My house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers.

Godbey New Testament
And He was teaching, saying to them, Is it not written, That my house shall be called a house of prayer for all the Gentiles? But you have made it a den of thieves.

Haweis New Testament
And he taught them, saying, Is it not written, that ?My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mace New Testament
at the same time he explained himself to them in these words, is it not written, "my house shall be called a house of prayer to all nations?" but ye have made it a harbour for thieves.

Weymouth New Testament
And He remonstrated with them. "Is it not written," He said, "'My House shall be called The House of Prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it what it now is--a robbers' cave."

Worrell New Testament
And He was teaching, and said to them, "Has it not been written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations;' but ye have made it a den of robbers!"

Worsley New Testament
And He taught them, saying, Is it not written, my house shall be called an house of prayer for all nations? But ye have made it a den of thieves.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jesus Cleanses the Temple
…16And He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17Then Jesus began to teach them, and He declared, “ Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 18When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Isaiah 56:7
I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

Jeremiah 7:11
Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.

Matthew 21:13
And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Luke 19:46
He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be a house of prayer.’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

John 2:14-16
In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. / So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. / To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”

Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Psalm 69:9
because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

1 Kings 8:41-43
And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name— / for they will hear of Your great name and mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, / then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.

Acts 7:48-50
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: / ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be? / Has not My hand made all these things?’

Romans 15:16
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? / If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Ephesians 2:19-22
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, / built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. / In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ...

Hebrews 3:6
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.

Revelation 21:22
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Zechariah 14:21
Indeed, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD of Hosts, and all who sacrifice will come and take some pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of Hosts.

Treasury of Scripture

And he taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but you have made it a den of thieves.

Is it.

1 Kings 8:41-48
Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; …

Isaiah 56:7
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Isaiah 60:7
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

of all nations the house of prayer.

Jeremiah 7:11
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

Hosea 12:7
He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

John 2:16
And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

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Mark 11

1. Jesus rides with triumph into Jerusalem;
12. curses the fruitless fig tree;
15. purges the temple;
20. exhorts his disciples to steadfastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies;
27. and defends his actions by the witness of John, who was a man sent of God.

Berean Study Bible

Then He began to teach them
This phrase indicates a deliberate action by Jesus to instruct those present. The Greek word for "teach" is "didaskō," which implies not just imparting knowledge but also guiding and shaping the understanding of the listeners. Jesus, as the ultimate Rabbi, uses this moment to correct misconceptions and realign the purpose of the temple with God's intentions.

and declare
The word "declare" suggests a public proclamation. In the Greek, "legō" is used, which means to speak or say. This emphasizes the authority with which Jesus speaks. He is not merely offering an opinion but is making a definitive statement that demands attention and response.

Is it not written
This phrase underscores the authority of Scripture. Jesus often uses this rhetorical question to remind His audience of the divine authority of the Scriptures. It points back to the Old Testament, showing continuity in God's revelation and the fulfillment of His promises.

My house
Referring to the temple, "My house" signifies ownership and divine presence. In the Hebrew context, the temple was seen as the dwelling place of God on earth. Jesus reaffirms that the temple belongs to God and should reflect His holiness and purpose.

will be called
This future tense indicates a prophetic declaration. It suggests a divine intention and a promise that God's purposes will ultimately prevail. The phrase implies a transformation from the current misuse to its intended purpose.

a house of prayer
The temple's primary function was to be a place of communion with God. The Greek word for "prayer" is "proseuchē," which encompasses all forms of communication with God, including supplication, thanksgiving, and worship. This highlights the temple's role as a spiritual center for seeking God.

for all the nations
This phrase expands the temple's purpose beyond Israel to include all peoples. The Greek word "ethnē" refers to Gentiles or non-Jewish nations. This reflects God's inclusive plan for salvation and His desire for all humanity to know Him, as seen in the prophetic vision of Isaiah 56:7.

But you have made it
Here, Jesus contrasts God's intention with the current reality. The phrase "you have made it" indicates human responsibility and the distortion of divine purposes. It serves as a rebuke to those who have corrupted the temple's function.

a den of robbers
This phrase is a direct reference to Jeremiah 7:11, where the temple is condemned for being a place of injustice and exploitation. The Greek word "lēstēs" means bandit or robber, suggesting not just theft but violence and oppression. Jesus condemns the commercialization and corruption that have taken over the temple, turning it from a place of worship into a center of greed.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations (πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν). St. Mark, writing for Gentiles, assures them that the God of the Jews is the God of all the nations; and that the court of the Gentiles, which was then so profaned, was a constituent part of his house of prayer. St. Jerome notes Christ's action in driving out the profaners of the temple as a great proof of his Divine power, that he alone should have been able to cast out so great a multitude. He says, "A fiery splendor flashed from his eyes, and the majesty of Deity shone in his countenance." The words, "My house shall be called the house of prayer," are a quotation from Isaiah 56:7; and it is a remarkable coincidence that in Ver. 11 of that chapter the rulers of the people are described as looking "every one for his gain from his quarter." A den of thieves (σπήλαιον ληστῶν); this should be rendered, a den of robbers. The Greek word for "thief" is κλέπτης, not ληστής. The two terms are carefully distinguished in St. John (John 10:1), "the same is a thief (κλέπτης) and a robber (λῃστής)." These priests, wholly intent upon gain, by various fraudulent acts plundered strangers and the poor, who came purchase offerings for the worship of God. Observe that the temple is called the house of God, not because he dwells in it in any corporeal sense, for "he dwelleth not in temples made with hands," but because the temple is the place set apart for the worship of God, in which he specially gives ear to the prayers of his people, and in which he specially promises his spiritual presence. Hence we learn what reverence is due to the houses of God; so that, as the master of a house resents any insult offered to his house as an insult to himself, so Christ reckons any wilful dishonor done to his house as a wrong and insult to him.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Then
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He began to teach
ἐδίδασκεν (edidasken)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1321: To teach, direct, admonish. A prolonged form of a primary verb dao; to teach.

them
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 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.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

declare,
ἔλεγεν (elegen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“Is it not written:
γέγραπται (gegraptai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

‘My
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

house
οἶκός (oikos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3624: A dwelling; by implication, a family.

will be called
κληθήσεται (klēthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2564: (a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.

a house
οἶκος (oikos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3624: A dwelling; by implication, a family.

of prayer
προσευχῆς (proseuchēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4335: From proseuchomai; prayer; by implication, an oratory.

for all
πᾶσιν (pasin)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

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

nations’?
ἔθνεσιν (ethnesin)
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1484: Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

you
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

have made
πεποιήκατε (pepoiēkate)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

it
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
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.

‘a den
Σπήλαιον (Spēlaion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4693: A cave, den, hideout. Neuter of a presumed derivative of speos; a cavern; by implication, a hiding-place or resort.

of robbers.’”
λῃστῶν (lēstōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3027: A robber, brigand, bandit. From leizomai; a brigand.

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NT Gospels: Mark 11:17 He taught saying to them Isn't it (Mar Mk Mr)