Discovery BoxMark 6:46-52 
Context6:46 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 1 saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending, 2 he came to them walking on the sea, 3 for 4 he wanted to pass by them. 5 6:49 When they saw him walking on the water 6 they thought he was a ghost. They 7 cried out, 6:50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them: 8 “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.
1 tn This verse is one complete sentence in the Greek text, but it has been broken into two sentences in English for clarity.
2 tn Grk “about the fourth watch of the night,” between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
3 tn Or “on the lake.”
4 tn The καί (kai) was translated so as to introduce a subordinate clause, i.e., with the use of “for.” See BDF §442.9.
5 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.
6 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).
7 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
8 tn Grk “he spoke with them, and said to them.”
