28"Truly I say to you that all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and the blasphemies, as many as they may have blasphemed; [3:29] but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness into the age, but is liable to an age-long sin" — [3:30] for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."
MRK 3:28-30
The Unpardonable Sin
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Jewish and Greco-Roman context, blasphemy was not merely a verbal offense but a profound violation of sacred boundaries, often seen as an attack on divine honor or order. The term (hamartēma) carried the weight of missing the mark, whether in moral, ritual, or relational terms. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, however, was uniquely grave because it rejected the very source of divine power and authority manifest in Jesus’ works. The accusation that Jesus had an unclean spirit was not just a slander against Him but a deliberate misattribution of God’s work to demonic forces, a direct inversion of divine truth. The phrase 'guilty of eternal sin' suggests a binding liability that transcends temporal forgiveness, rooted in the irrevocable rejection of God’s Spirit. For Jesus’ audience, this warning underscored the peril of hardening one’s heart against the unmistakable evidence of God’s presence and power.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
MRK 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:
- BSB
- Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter.
- Koinōnos
- Truly I say to you that all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and the blasphemies, as many as they may have blasphemed;
MRK 3:29
- KJV
- But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
- BSB
- But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
- Koinōnos
- but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness into the age, but is liable to an age-long sin" —
MRK 3:30
- KJV
- Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
- BSB
- Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
- Koinōnos
- for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.8.9
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.8.9
“What they most of all honor, after God himself, is the name of their legislator [Moses], whom if any one blaspheme he is punished capitally.”
Cited to ground: blasphemy was not merely a verbal offense but a profound violation of sacred boundaries, often seen as an attack on divine honor or order.
Translator's notes
MRK 3:28
- sins:The word translated 'sins' here refers to specific actions or failures, emphasizing the concrete wrongdoing rather than the general state of sinfulness.
MRK 3:29
- age,:The word translated 'age' refers to a distinct period of time or an era, not merely a person's lifespan. It can imply a long, indefinite duration.
- guilty:The word translated 'guilty' carries the sense of being held accountable or liable for something, often with legal implications of being subject to a penalty.
- [of] eternal:The word translated 'eternal' describes something belonging to or characteristic of an 'age' or a long, indefinite period, rather than strictly meaning 'without beginning or end'.