4:1 Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while 1 the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake. 4:2 He taught them many things in parables, 2 and in his teaching said to them: 4:3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 3 4:4 And as he sowed, some seed 4 fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground 5 where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 6 4:6 When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, 7 it withered. 4:7 Other seed fell among the thorns, 8 and they grew up and choked it, 9 and it did not produce grain. 4:8 But 10 other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times.” 4:9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!” 11
4:10 When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 4:11 He said to them, “The secret 12 of the kingdom of God has been given 13 to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,
4:12 so that although they look they may look but not see,
and although they hear they may hear but not understand,
so they may not repent and be forgiven.” 14
4:13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then 15 how will you understand any parable? 4:14 The sower sows the word. 4:15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan 16 comes and snatches the word 17 that was sown in them. 4:16 These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. 4:17 But 18 they have no root in themselves and do not endure. 19 Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. 4:18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, 4:19 but 20 worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, 21 and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, 22 and it produces nothing. 4:20 But 23 these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred.”
4:21 He also said to them, “A lamp 24 isn’t brought to be put under a basket 25 or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it to be placed on a lampstand? 4:22 For nothing is hidden except to be revealed, 26 and nothing concealed except to be brought to light. 4:23 If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!” 27 4:24 And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, 28 and more will be added to you. 4:25 For whoever has will be given more, but 29 whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” 30
4:26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. 4:27 He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 4:28 By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 4:29 And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle 31 because the harvest has come.” 32
4:30 He also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? 4:31 It is like a mustard seed 33 that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground – 4:32 when it is sown, it grows up, 34 becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds 35 can nest in its shade.” 36
4:33 So 37 with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. 4:34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.
4:35 On that day, when evening came, Jesus 38 said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” 39 4:36 So 40 after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, 41 and other boats were with him. 4:37 Now 42 a great windstorm 43 developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. 4:38 But 44 he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” 4:39 So 45 he got up and rebuked 46 the wind, and said to the sea, 47 “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then 48 the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. 4:40 And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” 4:41 They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? 49 Even the wind and sea obey him!” 50
5:1 So 51 they came to the other side of the lake, to the region of the Gerasenes. 52 5:2 Just as Jesus 53 was getting out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit 54 came from the tombs and met him. 55 5:3 He lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 5:4 For his hands and feet had often been bound with chains and shackles, 56 but 57 he had torn the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5:5 Each night and every day among the tombs and in the mountains, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 5:6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him. 5:7 Then 58 he cried out with a loud voice, “Leave me alone, 59 Jesus, Son of the Most High God! I implore you by God 60 – do not torment me!” 5:8 (For Jesus 61 had said to him, “Come out of that man, you unclean spirit!”) 62 5:9 Jesus 63 asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “My name is Legion, 64 for we are many.” 5:10 He begged Jesus 65 repeatedly not to send them out of the region. 5:11 There on the hillside, 66 a great herd of pigs was feeding. 5:12 And the demonic spirits 67 begged him, “Send us into the pigs. Let us enter them.” 5:13 Jesus 68 gave them permission. 69 So 70 the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake, and about two thousand were drowned in the lake.
5:14 Now 71 the herdsmen ran off and spread the news in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 5:15 They came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind – the one who had the “Legion” – and they were afraid. 5:16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man reported it, and they also told about the pigs. 5:17 Then 72 they asked Jesus 73 to leave their region. 5:18 As he was getting into the boat the man who had been demon-possessed asked if he could go 74 with him. 5:19 But 75 Jesus 76 did not permit him to do so. Instead, he said to him, “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, 77 that he had mercy on you.” 5:20 So 78 he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis 79 what Jesus had done for him, 80 and all were amazed.
5:21 When Jesus had crossed again in a boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he was by the sea. 5:22 Then 81 one of the synagogue rulers, 82 named Jairus, 83 came up, and when he saw Jesus, 84 he fell at his feet. 5:23 He asked him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be healed and live.” 5:24 Jesus 85 went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around him.
5:25 Now 86 a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage 87 for twelve years. 88 5:26 She had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. 5:27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 89 5:28 for she kept saying, 90 “If only I touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 91 5:29 At once the bleeding stopped, 92 and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 5:30 Jesus knew at once that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 5:31 His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 5:32 But 93 he looked around to see who had done it. 5:33 Then the woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. 94 Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
5:35 While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s 95 house saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher any longer?” 5:36 But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid; just believe.” 5:37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, 96 and John, the brother of James. 5:38 They came to the house of the synagogue ruler where 97 he saw noisy confusion and people weeping and wailing loudly. 98 5:39 When he entered he said to them, “Why are you distressed and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” 5:40 And they began making fun of him. 99 But he put them all outside 100 and he took the child’s father and mother and his own companions 101 and went into the room where the child was. 102 5:41 Then, gently taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” 5:42 The girl got up at once and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). They were completely astonished at this. 103 5:43 He strictly ordered that no one should know about this, 104 and told them to give her something to eat.
6:1 Now 105 Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, 106 and his disciples followed him. 6:2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. 107 Many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did he get these ideas? 108 And what is this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these miracles that are done through his hands? 6:3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son 109 of Mary 110 and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” And so they took offense at him. 6:4 Then 111 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own house.” 6:5 He was not able to do a miracle there, except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6:6 And he was amazed because of their unbelief. Then 112 he went around among the villages and taught.
6:7 Jesus 113 called the twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 114 6:8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff 115 – no bread, no bag, 116 no money in their belts – 6:9 and to put on sandals but not to wear two tunics. 117 6:10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there 118 until you leave the area. 6:11 If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off 119 your feet as a testimony against them.” 6:12 So 120 they went out and preached that all should repent. 6:13 They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
6:14 Now 121 King Herod 122 heard this, for Jesus’ 123 name had become known. Some 124 were saying, “John the baptizer 125 has been raised from the dead, and because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” 6:15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets from the past.” 6:16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised!” 6:17 For Herod himself had sent men, arrested John, and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod 126 had married her. 6:18 For John had repeatedly told 127 Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 128 6:19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But 129 she could not 6:20 because Herod stood in awe of 130 John and protected him, since he knew that John 131 was a righteous and holy man. When Herod 132 heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, 133 and yet 134 he liked to listen to John. 135
6:21 But 136 a suitable day 137 came, when Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his court officials, military commanders, and leaders of Galilee. 6:22 When his daughter Herodias 138 came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 6:23 He swore to her, 139 “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 140 6:24 So 141 she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother 142 said, “The head of John the baptizer.” 143 6:25 Immediately she hurried back to the king and made her request: 144 “I want the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 6:26 Although it grieved the king deeply, 145 he did not want to reject her request because of his oath and his guests. 6:27 So 146 the king sent an executioner at once to bring John’s 147 head, and he went and beheaded John in prison. 6:28 He brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 6:29 When John’s 148 disciples heard this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.
6:30 Then 149 the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 6:31 He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat). 6:32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place. 6:33 But many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they hurried on foot 150 from all the towns 151 and arrived there ahead of them. 152 6:34 As Jesus 153 came ashore 154 he saw the large crowd and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So 155 he taught them many things.
6:35 When it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place 156 and it is already very late. 6:36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” 6:37 But he answered them, 157 “You 158 give them something to eat.” And they said, “Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins 159 and give it to them to eat?” 6:38 He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five – and two fish.” 6:39 Then he directed them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 6:40 So they reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. 6:41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He 160 gave them to his 161 disciples to serve the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. 6:42 They all ate and were satisfied, 6:43 and they picked up the broken pieces and fish that were left over, twelve baskets full. 6:44 Now 162 there were five thousand men 163 who ate the bread. 164
6:45 Immediately Jesus 165 made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dispersed the crowd. 6:46 After saying good-bye to them, he went to the mountain to pray. 6:47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land. 6:48 He 166 saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending, 167 he came to them walking on the sea, 168 for 169 he wanted to pass by them. 170 6:49 When they saw him walking on the water 171 they thought he was a ghost. They 172 cried out, 6:50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them: 173 “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 6:51 Then he went up with them into the boat, and the wind ceased. They were completely astonished, 6:52 because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
6:53 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret 174 and anchored there. 6:54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Jesus. 175 6:55 They ran through that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever he was rumored to be. 176 6:56 And wherever he would go – into villages, towns, or countryside – they would place the sick in the marketplaces, and would ask him if 177 they could just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
1 tn Grk “and all the crowd.” The clause in this phrase, although coordinate in terms of grammar, is logically subordinate to the previous clause.
2 sn Though parables can contain a variety of figures of speech (cf. 2:19-22; 3:23-25; 4:3-9, 26-32; 7:15-17; 13:28), many times they are simply stories that attempt to teach spiritual truth (which is unknown to the hearers) by using a comparison with something known to the hearers. In general, parables usually advance a single idea, though there may be many parts and characters in a single parable and subordinate ideas may expand the main idea further. The beauty of using the parable as a teaching device is that it draws the listener into the story, elicits an evaluation, and demands a response.
3 sn A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable, drawn from a typical scene in the Palestinian countryside, is a field through which a well worn path runs. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots (Isa 55:10-11). The point of the parable of the sower is to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God (cf. 4:11).
4 tn Mark’s version of the parable, like Luke’s (cf. Luke 8:4-8), uses the collective singular to refer to the seed throughout, so singular pronouns have been used consistently throughout this parable in the English translation. However, the parallel account in Matt 13:1-9 begins with plural pronouns in v. 4 but then switches to the collective singular in v. 5 ff.
5 sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
6 tn Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”
7 tn Grk “it did not have root.”
8 sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.
9 sn That is, crowded out the good plants.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the final stage of the parable.
11 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
12 tn Grk “the mystery.”
sn The key term secret (μυστήριον, musthrion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because it suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).
13 tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).
14 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.
15 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
16 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.
17 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.
18 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
19 tn Grk “are temporary.”
20 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
21 tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”
22 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.
23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
24 sn The lamp is probably an ancient oil burning lamp or perhaps a candlestick. Jesus is comparing revelation to light, particularly the revelation of his ministry.
25 tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
26 tn Or “disclosed.”
27 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
28 tn Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured to you.”
29 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
30 sn What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.
31 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
32 sn Because the harvest has come. This parable is found only in Mark (cf. Matt 13:24-30) and presents a complete picture of the coming of God’s kingdom: (1) sowing; (2) growth; (3) harvest. Some understand the parable as a reference to evangelism. While this is certainly involved, it does not seem to be the central idea. In contrast to the parable of the sower which emphasizes the quality of the different soils, this parable emphasizes the power of the seed to cause growth (with the clear implication that the mysterious growth of the kingdom is accomplished by God), apart from human understanding and observation.
33 sn Mustard seeds are known for their tiny size.
34 tn Mark 4:31-32 is fairly awkward in Greek. Literally the sentence reads as follows: “As a mustard seed, which when sown in the earth, being the smallest of all the seeds in the earth, and when it is sown, it grows up…” The structure has been rendered in more idiomatic English, although some of the awkward structure has been retained for rhetorical effect.
35 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
36 sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.
37 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
38 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
39 tn The phrase “of the lake” is not in the Greek text but is clearly implied; it has been supplied here for clarity.
40 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the response to Jesus’ request.
41 tn It is possible that this prepositional phrase modifies “as he was,” not “they took him along.” The meaning would then be “they took him along in the boat in which he was already sitting” (see 4:1).
sn A boat that held all the disciples would be of significant size.
42 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
43 tn Or “a squall.”
sn The Sea of Galilee is located in a depression some 700 ft (200 m) below sea level and is surrounded by hills. Frequently a rush of wind and the right mix of temperatures can cause a storm to come suddenly on the lake. Storms on the Sea of Galilee were known for their suddenness and violence.
44 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
45 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
46 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
47 sn Who has authority over the seas and winds is discussed in the OT: Ps 104:3; 135:7; 107:23-30. When Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea he was making a statement about who he was.
48 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
49 sn Jesus’ authority over creation raised a question for the disciples about who he was exactly (Who then is this?). This verse shows that the disciples followed Jesus even though they did not know all about him yet.
50 sn This section in Mark (4:35-5:43) contains four miracles: (1) the calming of the storm; (2) the exorcism of the demon-possessed man; (3) the giving of life to Jairus’ daughter; (4) the healing of the woman hemorrhaging for twelve years. All these miracles demonstrate Jesus’ right to proclaim the kingdom message and his sovereign authority over forces, directly or indirectly, hostile to the kingdom. The last three may have been brought together to show that Jesus had power over all defilement, since contact with graves, blood, or a corpse was regarded under Jewish law as causing a state of ritual uncleanness.
51 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a summary and transition in the narrative.
52 tc The textual tradition here is quite complicated. Most later
sn The region of the Gerasenes would be in Gentile territory on the (south)eastern side of the Sea of Galilee across from Galilee. Matthew 8:28 records this miracle as occurring “in the region of the Gadarenes.” “Irrespective of how one settles this issue, for the [second and] Third Evangelist the chief concern is that Jesus has crossed over into Gentile territory, ‘opposite Galilee’” (J. B. Green, Luke [NICNT], 337). The region of Gadara extended to the Sea of Galilee and included the town of Sennabris on the southern shore – the town that the herdsmen most likely entered after the drowning of the pigs.
53 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
54 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
55 tn Grk “met him from the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.” When this is converted to normal English word order (“a man met him from the tombs with an unclean spirit”) it sounds as if “with an unclean spirit” modifies “the tombs.” Likewise, “a man with an unclean spirit from the tombs met him” implies that the unclean spirit came from the tombs, while the Greek text is clear that it is the man who had the unclean spirit who came from the tombs. To make this clear a second verb, “came,” is supplied in English: “came from the tombs and met him.”
56 tn Grk “he had often been bound with chains and shackles.” “Shackles” could also be translated “fetters”; they were chains for the feet.
57 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
58 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
59 tn Grk “What to me and to you?” (an idiom). The phrase τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί (ti emoi kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8). These nuances were apparently expanded in Greek, but the basic notions of defensive hostility (option 1) and indifference or disengagement (option 2) are still present. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….”
60 sn Though it seems unusual for a demon to invoke God’s name (“I implore you by God”) in his demands of Jesus, the parallel in Matt 8:29 suggests the reason: “Why have you come to torment us before the time?” There was an appointed time in which demons would face their judgment, and they seem to have viewed Jesus’ arrival on the scene as an illegitimate change in God’s plan regarding the time when their sentence would be executed.
61 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
62 sn This is a parenthetical explanation by the author.
63 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
64 sn The name Legion means “thousands,” a word taken from a Latin term for a large group of soldiers. The term not only suggests a multiple possession, but also adds a military feel to the account. This is a true battle.
65 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
66 tn Grk “mountain,” but this might give the English reader the impression of a far higher summit.
67 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
68 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
69 sn Many have discussed why Jesus gave them permission, since the animals were destroyed. However, this is another example of a miracle that is a visual lesson. The demons are destructive: They were destroying the man. They destroyed the pigs. They destroy whatever they touch. The point was to take demonic influence seriously, as well as Jesus’ power over it as a picture of the larger battle for human souls. There would be no doubt how the man’s transformation had taken place.
70 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion and transition in the narrative.
71 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate a transition to the response to the miraculous healing.
72 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
73 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
74 tn Grk “be,” that is, “remain.” In this context that would involve accompanying Jesus as he went on his way.
75 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
76 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
77 sn Jesus instructs the man to declare what the Lord has done for him, in contrast to the usual instructions (e.g., 1:44; 5:43) to remain silent. Here in Gentile territory Jesus allowed more open discussion of his ministry. D. L. Bock (Luke [BECNT], 1:781) suggests that with few Jewish religious representatives present, there would be less danger of misunderstanding Jesus’ ministry as political.
78 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate the conclusion of the episode in the narrative.
79 sn The Decapolis refers to a league of towns (originally consisting of ten; the Greek name literally means “ten towns”) whose region (except for Scythopolis) lay across the Jordan River.
80 sn Note that the man could not separate what God had done from the one through whom God had done it (what Jesus had done for him). This man was called to witness to God’s goodness at home.
81 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
82 tn That is, “an official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93; cf. Luke 8:41).
sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership. See also the note on synagogue in 1:21.
83 tc Codex Bezae (D) and some Itala
84 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
85 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
86 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
87 tn Grk “a flow of blood.”
88 sn This story of the woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years is recounted in the middle of the story about Jairus’ daughter. Mark’s account (as is often the case) is longer and more detailed than the parallel accounts in Matt 9:18-26 and Luke 8:40-56. Mark’s fuller account may be intended to show that the healing of the woman was an anticipation of the healing of the little girl.
89 tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.
90 tn The imperfect verb is here taken iteratively, for the context suggests that the woman was trying to muster up the courage to touch Jesus’ cloak.
91 tn Grk “saved.”
sn In this pericope the author uses a term for being healed (Grk “saved”) that would have spiritual significance to his readers. It may be a double entendre (cf. parallel in Matt 9:21 which uses the same term), since elsewhere he uses verbs that simply mean “heal”: If only the reader would “touch” Jesus, he too would be “saved.”
92 tn Grk “the flow of her blood dried up.”
sn The woman was most likely suffering from a vaginal hemorrhage, in which case her bleeding would make her ritually unclean.
93 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
94 tn Or “has delivered you”; Grk “has saved you.” This should not be understood as an expression for full salvation in the immediate context; it refers only to the woman’s healing.
95 sn See the note on synagogue rulers in 5:22.
96 tn Grk “and James,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
97 tn Grk “and,” though such paratactic structure is rather awkward in English.
98 sn This group probably includes outside or even professional mourners, not just family, because a large group seems to be present.
99 tn Grk “They were laughing at him.” The imperfect verb has been taken ingressively.
100 tn Or “threw them all outside.” The verb used, ἐκβάλλω (ekballw), almost always has the connotation of force in Mark.
101 tn Grk “those with him.”
102 tn Grk “into where the child was.”
103 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
104 sn That no one should know about this. See the note on the phrase who he was in 3:12.
105 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
106 sn Jesus’ hometown (where he spent his childhood years) was Nazareth, about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Capernaum.
107 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT fulfillment.
108 tn Or “this teaching”; Grk “these things.” The response of the people centers upon the content of Jesus’ teaching, so the phrase “these ideas” was supplied in the text to make this clear.
109 tc Evidently because of the possible offensiveness of designating Jesus a carpenter, several
110 sn The reference to Jesus as the carpenter is probably derogatory, indicating that they knew Jesus only as a common laborer like themselves. The reference to him as the son of Mary (even though Jesus’ father was probably dead by this point) appears to be somewhat derogatory, for a man was not regarded as his mother’s son in Jewish usage unless an insult was intended (cf. Judg 11:1-2; John 6:42; 8:41; 9:29).
111 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
112 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
113 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
114 sn The phrase unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
115 sn Neither Matt 10:9-10 nor Luke 9:3 allow for a staff. It might be that Matthew and Luke mean not taking an extra staff, or that the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light,” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.
116 tn Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα).
117 tn Or “shirts” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a “tunic” was any more than they would be familiar with a “chiton.” On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
118 sn Jesus telling his disciples to stay there in one house contrasts with the practice of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house begging.
119 sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.
120 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
121 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
122 sn Herod was technically not a king, but a tetrarch, a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king. A tetrarch ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. In the NT, Herod, who ruled over Galilee, is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage rather than an official title.
123 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
124 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
125 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “the Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
126 tn Grk “he”; here it is necessary to specify the referent as “Herod,” since the nearest previous antecedent in the translation is Philip.
127 tn The imperfect tense verb is here rendered with an iterative force.
128 sn It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. This was a violation of OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left marriages to enter into this union.
129 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
130 tn Grk “was fearing,” “was respecting”; the imperfect tense connotes an ongoing fear or respect for John.
131 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
132 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
133 tc In place of ἠπόρει (hporei, “he was baffled”) the majority of
tn Or “terribly disturbed,” “rather perplexed.” The verb ἀπορέω (aporew) means “to be in perplexity, with the implication of serious anxiety” (L&N 32.9).
134 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “and yet” to indicate the concessive nature of the final clause.
135 tn Grk “him”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
136 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
137 tn Grk “a day of opportunity”; cf. BDAG 407 s.v. εὔκαιρος, “in our lit. only pert. to time than is considered a favorable occasion for some event or circumstance, well-timed, suitable.”
138 tc Behind “his daughter Herodias” is a most difficult textual problem. The reading adopted in the translation, τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ ῾Ηρῳδιάδος (th" qugatro" aujtou Jerwdiado"), is supported by א B D L Δ 565 pc; it is also the most difficult reading internally since it describes Herodias as Herod’s daughter. Other readings are less awkward, but they do not have adequate external support. The reading τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς τῆς ῾Ηρῳδιάδος (th" qugatro" auth" th" &erwdiado", “the daughter of Herodias herself”) is supported by A C (W) Θ Ë13 33 Ï, but this is also grammatically awkward. The easiest reading, τῆς θυγατρὸς τῆς ῾Ηρῳδιάδος (“the daughter of Herodias”) is supported by Ë1 pc, but this reading probably arose from an accidental omission of αὐτῆς in the previous reading. The reading τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ ῾Ηρῳδιάδος, despite its historical difficulties, is most likely original due to external attestation and the fact that it most likely gave rise to the other readings as scribes sought to correct it.
139 tc ‡ The witnesses here support several different readings: αὐτῇ πολλά (auth polla, “to her insistently”) is found in D Θ 565 700 it; πολλά is the reading of Ì45vid 28; both words are lacking in L pc; and א A B C2vid Ë13 33 2427 Ï lat have just αὐτῇ. The best candidates for authenticity, on external grounds, are αὐτῇ πολλά and αὐτῇ. So the issue revolves around whether πολλά is part of the text. On the one hand, πολλά used adverbially is a distinctive Markanism (10 of the 16 NT instances are found in Mark; of the other Gospels, Matthew alone adds a single example [Matt 9:14]). It could be argued that such an unremarkable term would go unnoticed by the scribes, and consequently would not have been inserted in imitation of Mark’s style observed elsewhere. On the other hand, the largest cluster of instances of an adverbial πολλά are in Mark 5-6, with the most recent example coming just three verses earlier (Mark 5:23, 38, 43; 6:20). Scribes may well have imitated the usage so recently and so frequently seen. Further, the best Alexandrian witnesses, as well as good representatives of the Western and Byzantines texts, lack πολλά. On the whole, though a decision is difficult, it is probably best to read the text without πολλά. NA27 places the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
140 sn The expression up to half my kingdom is a proverbial comment meaning “great wealth.”
141 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
142 tn Grk “She said”; the referent (the girl’s mother) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
143 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “the Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark employs the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (though twice he does use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
144 tn Grk “she asked, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant and has not been translated.
145 tn Grk “and being deeply grieved, the king did not want.”
146 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
147 tn Grk “his”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
148 tn Grk “his”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
149 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
150 tn Grk “ran together on foot.” The idea of συντρέχω (suntrecw) is “to come together quickly to form a crowd” (L&N 15.133).
151 tn Or “cities.”
152 tc The translation here follows the reading προῆλθον (prohlqon, “they preceded”), found in א B (0187) 892 2427 pc lat co. Some
153 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
154 tn Grk “came out [of the boat],” with the reference to the boat understood.
155 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate this action is the result of Jesus’ compassion on the crowd in the narrative.
156 tn Or “a desert” (meaning a deserted or desolate area with sparse vegetation).
157 tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence has been changed for clarity.
158 tn Here the pronoun ὑμεῖς (Jumeis) is used, making “you” in the translation emphatic.
159 sn The silver coin referred to here is the denarius. A denarius, inscribed with a picture of Tiberius Caesar, was worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. Two hundred denarii was thus approximately equal to eight months’ wages. The disciples did not have the resources in their possession to feed the large crowd, so Jesus’ request is his way of causing them to trust him as part of their growth in discipleship.
160 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
161 tc ‡ Most
tn Grk “the disciples”; the Greek article has been translated here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
162 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.
163 tn The Greek word here is ἀνήρ, meaning “adult male” (BDAG 79 s.v. 1). According to Matt 14:21, Jesus fed not only five thousand men, but also an unspecified number of women and children.
164 tc Many good
165 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
166 tn This verse is one complete sentence in the Greek text, but it has been broken into two sentences in English for clarity.
167 tn Grk “about the fourth watch of the night,” between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
168 tn Or “on the lake.”
169 tn The καί (kai) was translated so as to introduce a subordinate clause, i.e., with the use of “for.” See BDF §442.9.
170 sn The statement he wanted to pass by them is somewhat difficult to understand. There are at least two common interpretations: (1) it refers to the perspective of the disciples, that is, from their point of view it seemed that Jesus wanted to pass by them; or (2) it refers to a theophany and uses the language of the Greek Old Testament (LXX) when God “passed by” Moses at Sinai (cf. Exod 33:19, 22). According to the latter alternative, Jesus is “passing by” the disciples during their struggle, in order to assure them of his presence with them. See W L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 236.
171 tn Grk “on the sea,” “on the lake.” The translation “water” has been used here for stylistic reasons (cf. the same phrase in v. 48).
172 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
173 tn Grk “he spoke with them, and said to them.”
174 sn Gennesaret was a fertile plain south of Capernaum (see also Matt 14:34). This name was also sometimes used for the Sea of Galilee (Luke 5:1).
175 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
176 tn Grk “wherever they heard he was.”
177 tn Grk “asked that they might touch.”