Mark 3:28

Mark 3:28, in plain English

Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth: every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven.'

Why it's here

Before Jesus got to the warning, He started with the widest possible promise of grace. Everything—every sin, every failure, every blasphemy—can be forgiven. That's how vast God's mercy is.

Who's speaking

Jesus makes a sweeping promise about the scope of God's forgiveness before noting the one exception.

Where it sits in the story

If you've ever wondered whether your sin is too big for God to forgive, hear this: Jesus said every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven. The door of mercy is wider than you think.

The scholarly reading

Jesus declared that all sins and blasphemies (pasai hai hamartiai kai hai blasphēmiai) of the 'sons of men' will be forgiven—a breathtakingly comprehensive promise of divine grace.

Language and setting

This sweeping statement of God's willingness to forgive establishes the widest possible scope of grace before the single exception that follows in verse 29, making the exception all the more striking.

Voice

Jesus pronounces an extraordinary, comprehensive declaration of the scope of divine forgiveness.

Significance

Before identifying the one unforgivable sin, Jesus first established the almost limitless extent of God's mercy. Every sin and every blasphemy—no matter how grievous—falls within the scope of potential forgiveness.

26And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come.

27Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

28Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter.

29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”

30Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Read all of Mark 3 — A man with a withered hand, a crowd pressing in from every side, and twelve unlikely men called to change the world.