Jesus says that whatever they ask for themselves, they will get.
Mark 11:26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Not translated. Has footnote about sources.
Not translated. Has a footnote about this verse in the previous verse.
If, however, you yourselves do not let go neither will that Father of yours, the one in those skies, will let go those blunders of yours.
This verse does not exist in the Greek source we used today nor does it appear in NIV or NLT versions of Mark. It appears in the source for the KJV, the Textus Receptus and appears to be a combination of the previous verse, Mark 11:25, and Matthew 6:15.
It changes the negative in the Matthew version from the negative of opinion, "do not want to let go," which Jesus typically uses in verses like this, to the objective negative, "do not let go."
What we cannot see, we can imagine.
Mark 11:26 Does not exist in the Greek sources we used today.
TEXTUS RECEPTUS: εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς οὖκ ἀφίετε οὐδε ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀφησεὶ τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν
εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς οὖκ ἀφίετε οὐδε ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν
If, however, you not yourselves do let go neither that Father of yours,
ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀφησεὶ τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν
the one in those skies, will let go those blunders of yours.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "forgive" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The article "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "is" doesn't exist in the source and isn't otherwise justified.
- MW - Missing Word -- The article "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "forgive" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The article "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "trespasses" confused the meaning of "slip-ups."
This comparison is to the Textus Receptus.
But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but", "however", and "on the other hand". Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
if -- The "if" here expresses a condition but it means nothing regarding whether that condition is met or not. It also means "if ever" and "whenever."
you -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural.
do -- This is added to make the verb work more easily in English.
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.
forgive, -- (CW) The word translated as "forgive" primarily means "to let go" or "to send away." It can also means "remit" a debt or "excuse" a fault. It has the sense of leaving something alone and letting it drop. See this article for more.
neither -- The word "neither" introduces the second part of the verse about the Father. It is from the objective negative, which is used in the Matthew version as well.
will -- This is from the future tense of the upcoming verb. This is a change from the previous verse, which was in the form of possibility. It is consisten with the Matthew version.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
your -- The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.
Father -- "Father" is the Greek noun that means "father" or any male ancestor so "forefathers". It is the word that Christ uses to address his own Father.
also -- The Greek word translated as "also" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). This word appears earlier in the verse.
which-- The word translated as "which" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
is -- (IW) There is no verb "to be" here.
in -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
heaven -- The word translated as "heaven" means sky, the climate, and the universe. It is plural, so "heavens" or "skies." It also meant the home of the gods in a physical sense: the sun, moon, and planets were named for the gods. More about the word in this article. T
forgive -- (CW) The word translated as "forgive" primarily means "to let go" or "to send away." It can also means "remit" a debt or "excuse" a fault. It has the sense of leaving something alone and letting it drop. See this article for more.
missing "the" -- The untranslated word is the Greek definite article." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
your -- The word translated as "your" is plural addressing a group of Jesus's listeners.
trespasses. -- (CW) "Trespasses" is another word that Jesus uses only here and the previous and parallel verses. It means "false step", "blunder," and "slip." Only in the NT is defined as "trespass."
From the Textus Receptus
εἴ [90 verses](conj) "If" is ei, which is the particle used to express conditions "if" (implying nothing about its fulfillment) or indirect questions, "whether." It also means "if ever", "in case," and "whenever." It is combined with various conjunctions to create derivative conditions.
δὲ [446 verses](conj/adv) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be a weak connective ("and") and explanation of cause ("so").
ὑμεῖς [92 verses](pron 2nd pl nom) "You" is hymeis, which is the plural nominative form of the second person, "you." -- The pronoun "you" is used explicitly as the subject of the sentence. When it has no verb, the verb "is" or the previous verb is assumed. When it is already part of the verb, its use here creates emphasis on the "you" as we might say "you yourselves." It is plural. missing "yourselves" ---- (MW) The pronoun is used here explicitly as the subject of the sentence. Since this information is already in the verb, the sense is repetitive as we say "you yourselves." MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "yourselves" after "you" for emphasis.
οὖκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἀφίετε [73 verses](2nd pl pres ind act) "forgive" is from aphiemi, which means "to let fall", "to send away", "give up", "hand over", "to let loose", "to get rid of", "to leave alone", "to pass by", "to permit," and "to send forth from oneself." .
οὐδὲ [51 verses](adj) "No" is from oude , which means "but not", "neither", "nor,"and "not even."
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
πατὴρ [191 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Father" is from pater, which means "father", "grandfather", "author", "parent," and "forefathers."
ὑμῶν [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your/you" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." It is either a possessive pronoun or the object of a preposition.
ὁ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "Which" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with a dative object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during," and "with." With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during.
τοῖς [821 verses] (article pl masc dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
οὐρανοῖς [111 verses](noun pl masc dat) "Heaven" is the Greek ouranos, which means "heaven as in the vault of the sky", "heaven as the seat of the gods", "the sky", "the universe," and "the climate."
ἀφήσει [73 verses] (verb 3rd sg fut ind act ) "May forgive" is aphiemi, which means "to let fall", "to send away", "give up", "hand over", "to let loose", "to get rid of", "to leave alone", "to pass by", "to permit," and "to send forth from oneself."
τὰ [821 verses] (article pl neut nom/acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
παραπτώματα [2 verses]( noun pl neut acc ) "Trespasses" is a paraptôma, which means "false step", "blunder," and "slip." Only in the NT is defined as "trespass."
ὑμῶν [168 verses](pron 2nd pl gen) "Your/you" is humon, the plural possessive form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." It is either a possessive pronoun or the object of a preposition.
The contrast here is between the present and future forms of the verb aphiêmi. Since the verse is simpler in the Greek, what dominates is the idea that what we do to others now is what will be done to us in the future.
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, forgive...
Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
Matthew 6:14-15 uses much of the same vocabulary as that version. Matthew 18:35 uses much of the same vocabulary but to express a threat if we don't let others alone.