Mark 5:37-43

5:37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James,¹ and John, the brother of James. 5:38 They came to the house of the synagogue ruler where² he saw noisy confusion and people weeping and wailing loudly.³ 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.⁴ But he put them all outside⁵ and he took the child’s father and mother and his own companions⁶ and went into the room where the child was.⁷ 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.⁸ 5:43 He strictly ordered that no one should know about this,⁹ and told them to give her something to eat.

¹tn 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.

²tn Grk “and,” though such paratactic structure is rather awkward in English.

³sn This group probably includes outside or even professional mourners, not just family, because a large group seems to be present.

⁴tn Grk “They were laughing at him.” The imperfect verb has been taken ingressively.

⁵tn Or “threw them all outside.” The verb used, ἐκβάλλω (ekballw), almost always has the connotation of force in Mark.

⁶tn Grk “those with him.”

⁷tn Grk “into where the child was.”

⁸tn 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.

⁹sn That no one should know about this. See the note on the phrase who he was in 3:12.