Exegesis:

dexētai (cf. 6.11) ‘should receive,’ ‘should accept.’

ou mē (cf. 9.1) ‘in no way,’ ‘by no means’: an emphatic negative.

Translation:

For truly as an introductory adverb see 8.12.

Receive the kingdom of God is not an easy expression to translate, and its literal rendering has often resulted in misunderstanding. For example, in one language it meant that a person had taken over the kingdom upon the death of God. In another language the literal rendering meant that one man had agreed to guard God’s property for him. Moreover, a kingdom (even as a territory, rather than a rule) cannot be received as some portable object can be received. The result of all these problems leads to a number of necessary adaptations, e.g. ‘receive God as king’ (Conob), ‘like God to rule over’ (Copainalá Zoque), ‘agree to God reigning over’ (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), ‘welcome God as ruler’ (Huastec), ‘be happy to have God rule over’ (Sayula Popoluca), and ‘be happy to have God be your chief’ (Tzotzil).

Like a child must be added to the first expression in such a way as to characterize the activity of a child, e.g. ‘welcome God as ruler as a child welcomes him’ (Huastec) and ‘wish for, as a little child does, where God rules’ (San Mateo del Mar Huave).

Enter it must be translated in such a way as to correspond with the immediately preceding clause, e.g. ‘will not have God as ruler’ (Sayula Popoluca).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .