Mark 11:17

Then he began to teach ¹  them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? ²  But you have turned it into a den ³  of robbers!” ⁴ 

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’."

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."

He taught them, "The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

And then he taught them, quoting this text: My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You've turned it into a hangout for thieves.

And he gave them teaching, and said to them, Is it not in the Writings, My house is to be named a house of prayer for all the nations? but you have made it a hole of thieves.

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."

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.’"

Then he began to teach ¹  them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? ²  But you have turned it into a den ³  of robbers!” ⁴ 

¹ tn The imperfect ἐδίδασκεν (edidasken) is here taken ingressively.

² sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.

³ tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).

⁴ sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.