But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

But they understood not this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

But they understood not this word; and it was hid from them, so that they perceived it not. And they were afraid to ask him concerning this word.

But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them that they should not perceive it. And they feared to ask him concerning this saying.

But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him concerning that saying.

And they were not knowing this saying, and it was veiled from them, that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

But they did not understand His meaning: it was veiled from them that they might not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

But this saying was not clear to them and its sense was kept secret from them so that they were not able to see it: and they had fear of questioning him about it.

But they did not understand this word, and it was concealed from them, so that they did not perceive it. And they were afraid to question him about this word.

But the disciples did not understand the meaning of this; it had been concealed from them so that they did not see it, and they were afraid to question him as to what he meant.

It was hid from them - They had imbibed the common notions of the Jews that he was to be a prince and a conqueror, to deliver the nation. They could not understand how that could be, if he was soon to be delivered into the hands of his enemies to die. In this way it was hid from them - not by God, but by their previous false belief. And from this we may learn that the plainest truths of the Bible are unintelligible to many because they have embraced some belief or opinion before which is erroneous, and which they are unwilling to abandon. The proper way of reading the Bible is to lay aside all previous opinions and submit entirely to God. The apostles should have supposed that their previous notions of the Messiah were wrong, and should have renounced them. They should have believed that what Jesus "then" said was consistent with his being the Christ. So "we" should believe that "all" that God says is consistent with truth, and should forsake all other opinions.

But they understood not - See the note on Mark 9:32.

But they understood not this saying,.... What was meant by being betrayed into the hands of men, and by his being put to death; they knew not, how these things could possibly be, for they could not by any means reconcile them with the notions they had of a temporal Redeemer, and victorious Messiah:
and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not; the true meaning of this saying was hid from their understanding, which was veiled with the above notion of the worldly grandeur of the Messiah, that they did not take it in;
and they feared to ask him of that saying, of the meaning of it; imagining that he had a secret mystical meaning in it, which they could not reach; lest he should reproach them with their dulness and stupidity; or should rebuke them with the like sharpness and severity he had reproved Peter not long ago, upon the same head.

and they feared--"insomuch that they feared." Their most cherished ideas were so completely dashed by such announcements, that they were afraid of laying themselves open to rebuke by asking Him any questions.