Although some scholars have denied that the trinitarian baptismal formula in the Great Commission was a part of the original text of Matthew, there is no ms support for their contention. F. C. Conybeare, “The Eusebian Form of the Text of Mt. 28:19 ,” ZNW 2 (1901): 275-88, based his view on a faulty reading of Eusebius’ quotations of this text. The shorter reading has also been accepted, on other grounds, by a few other scholars. For discussion (and refutation of the conjecture that removes this baptismal formula), see B. J. Hubbard, The Matthean Redaction of a Primitive Apostolic Commissioning (SBLDS 19), 163-64, 167-75; and Jane Schaberg, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (SBLDS 61), 27-29.


The Greek word ἰδού ( idou ) has been translated here as “remember” (BDAG 468 s.v. 1 .c).


33 al lat sa.


The genitive in the phrase τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ( tou euangeliou Ihsou Cristou , “the gospel of Jesus Christ”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which Jesus brings [or proclaims]”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about Jesus Christ”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek , §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which Jesus proclaims is in fact the gospel about himself.


co Ir. This evidence runs deep into the 2nd century, is widespread, and is found in the most important Alexandrian, Western, and Caesarean witnesses. The “Isaiah” reading has a better external pedigree in every way. It has the support of the earliest and best witnesses from all the texttypes that matter. Moreover it is the harder reading, since the quotation in the first part of the verse appears to be from Exod 23:20 and Mal 3:1 , with the quotation from Isa 40:3 coming in the next verse. The reading of the later mss seems motivated by a desire to resolve this difficulty.


Or “desert.”


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 ]).


Grk “And the whole Judean countryside.” Mark uses the Greek conjunction καί ( kai ) at numerous places in his Gospel to begin sentences and paragraphs. This practice is due to Semitic influence and reflects in many cases the use of the Hebrew ו ( vav ) which is used in OT narrative, much as it is here, to carry the narrative along. Because in contemporary English style it is not acceptable to begin every sentence with “and,” καί was often left untranslated or rendered as “now,” “so,” “then,” or “but” depending on the context. When left untranslated it has not been noted. When given an alternative translation, this is usually indicated by a note.


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.


Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων ( legwn ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


Grk “of whom I am not worthy.” sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy . This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.


The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


For location see Map1-D3 ; Map2-C2 ; Map3-D5 ; Map4-C1 ; Map5-G3 .


“River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.


Grk “and immediately coming up out of the water, he saw.” The present participle has been translated temporally, with the subject (Jesus) specified for clarity.


Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός ( ouranos ) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 11 .


Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός ( agaphtos ) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1 ).


Or “with you I am well pleased.” sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7 a; Isa 42:1 and either Isa 41:8 or, less likely, Gen 22:12,16 . God is marking out Jesus as his chosen one (the meaning of “[in you I take] great delight”), but it may well be that this was a private experience that only Jesus and John saw and heard (cf. John 1:32-33 ).


Grk “And he.”


Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”


Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).


28* 33 565 579 892 2427 sa) is significantly stronger than that for the longer reading. There is little doubt, therefore, that the shorter reading is authentic.


The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ ( to euangelion tou qeou , “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek , §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


The Greek term ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpos ) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.” sn The kind of fishing envisioned was net – not line – fishing (cf. v. 16 ; cf. also BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφιβάλλω , ἀμφίβληστρον ) which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new “catch” (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment (cf. W. L. Lane, Mark [NICNT], 67). If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove them from eternal destruction and to give them new life.


Or “a boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ ( en tw ploiw ) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do in Matt 4:21 ); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence the translation “their boat” is justified (cf. also v. 20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats).


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


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.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “They.”


Or “the scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς ( grammateu" ) as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.


Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων ( legwn ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


Grk “ What to us and to you?” This is an idiom meaning, “We have nothing to do with one another,” or “Why bother us!” The phrase τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί ( ti Jhmin 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 ). Option (1) implies hostility, while option (2) merely implies disengagement. 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….” For a very similar expression see Lk 8:28 and (in a different context) John 2:4 .


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων ( legwn ) is redundant in English and has not been translated.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.


700] 892 1241 [1424] pc ); codex D has “they knew him and he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons,” reproducing exactly the first half of the verse. These first two longer readings are predictable expansions to an enticingly brief statement; the fact that there are significant variations on the word order and presence or absence of τόν argues against their authenticity as well. D’s reading is a palpable error of sight. The reading adopted in the translation is supported by א * A 0130 Ï lat. This support, though hardly overwhelming in itself, in combination with strong internal evidence, renders the shorter reading fairly certain.


The imperfect προσηύχετο ( proshuceto ) implies some duration to the prayer.


Grk “And he said to them.”


Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.


) here read ὀργισθείς ( ojrgisqei" , “moved with anger”). It is more difficult to account for a change from “moved with compassion” to “moved with anger” than it is for a copyist to soften “moved with anger” to “moved with compassion,” making the decision quite difficult. B. M. Metzger ( TCGNT 65) suggests that “moved with anger” could have been prompted by 1:43 , “Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning.” It also could have been prompted by the man’s seeming doubt about Jesus’ desire to heal him (v. 40 ). As well, it is difficult to explain why scribes would be prone to soften the text here but not in Mark 3:5 or 10:14 (where Jesus is also said to be angry or indignant). Thus, in light of diverse mss supporting “moved with compassion,” and at least a plausible explanation for ὀργισθείς as arising from the other reading, it is perhaps best to adopt σπλαγχνισθείς as the original reading. Nevertheless, a decision in this case is not easy. For the best arguments for ὀργισθείς , however, see M. A. Proctor, “The ‘Western’ Text of Mark 1:41 : A Case for the Angry Jesus” (Ph.D. diss., Baylor University, 1999).


Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”


Or “as an indictment against them”; or “as proof to the people.” This phrase could be taken as referring to a positive witness to the priests, a negative testimony against them, or as a testimony to the community that the man had indeed been cured. In any case, the testimony shows that Jesus is healing and ministering to those in need.


Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “and”; καί ( kai ) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.


The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.


Grk “it was heard.”


Some translations (e.g., NIV, NLT) take the preposition πρός ( pro" ), which indicates proximity, to mean “outside the door.” Others render it as “in front of the door” (TEV, CEV), and still others, “around the door” (NAB). There is some ambiguity inherent in the description here.


Grk “they”; the referent (some unnamed people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The redundancy in this verse is characteristic of the author’s rougher style.


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “Reasoning within their hearts.”


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the shift from the thoughts of the experts in the law to Jesus’ response.


Grk “they were thus reasoning within themselves.”


Grk “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?”


Grk “to your house.”


Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον ( telwnion , so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings. sn The tax booth was a booth located on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). It was here that Jesus met Levi (also named Matthew [see Matt 9:9 ]) who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas. It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus despised by Jews who undoubtedly regarded him as a traitor.


Grk “As he reclined at table.” sn As Jesus was having a meal. 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.


Grk “his.”


Or “the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “So” to indicate that in the narrative this question happened as a result of the fasting of John’s disciples and the Pharisees.


Grk “And Jesus.”


Grk “sons of the wedding hall,” an idiom referring to wedding guests, or more specifically, friends of the bridegroom present at the wedding celebration (L&N 11.7).


Questions prefaced with μή ( mh ) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “can they?”).


Grk “then on that day.”


Or “heads of grain.” While the generic term στάχυς ( stacus ) can refer to the cluster of seeds at the top of grain such as barley or wheat, in the NT the term is restricted to wheat (L&N 3.40; BDAG 941 s.v. 1 ).


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


and many others} add τοῦ before ἀρχιερέως , giving the meaning “in the days of Abiathar the high priest,” suggesting a more general time frame. Neither reading has significant external support and both most likely are motivated by the difficulty of the original reading. (2) Many scholars have hypothesized that one of the three individuals who would have been involved in the transmission of the statement (Jesus who uttered it originally, Mark who wrote it down in the Gospel, or Peter who served as Mark’s source) was either wrong about Abiathar or intentionally loose with the biblical data in order to make a point. (3) It is possible that what is currently understood to be the most natural reading of the text is in fact not correct. (a) There are very few biblical parallels to this grammatical construction ( ἐπί + genitive proper noun, followed by an anarthrous common noun), so it is possible that an extensive search for this construction in nonbiblical literature would prove that the meaning does involve a wide time frame. If this is so, “in the days of Abiathar the high priest” would be a viable option. (b) It is also possible that this phrasing serves as a loose way to cite a scripture passage. There is a parallel to this construction in Mark 12:26 : “Have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush?” Here the final phrase is simply ἐπὶ τοῦ βάτου ( ejpi tou batou ), but the obvious function of the phrase is to point to a specific passage within the larger section of scripture. Deciding upon a translation here is difficult. The translation above has followed the current consensus on the most natural and probable meaning of the phrase ἐπὶ ᾿Αβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως : “when Abiathar was high priest.” It should be recognized, however, that this translation is tentative because the current state of knowledge about the meaning of this grammatical construction is incomplete, and any decision about the meaning of this text is open to future revision.


Grk “the bread of presentation.” sn The sacred bread refers to the “bread of presentation,” “showbread,” or “bread of the Presence,” twelve loaves prepared weekly for the tabernacle and later, the temple. See Exod 25:30; 35:13; 39:36 ; Lev 24:5-9 . Each loaf was made from 3 quarts (3.5 liters; Heb “two tenths of an ephah”) of fine flour. The loaves were placed on a table in the holy place of the tabernacle, on the north side opposite the lampstand ( Exod 26:35 ). It was the duty of the priest each Sabbath to place fresh bread on the table; the loaves from the previous week were then given to Aaron and his descendants, who ate them in the holy place, because they were considered sacred ( Lev 24:9 ). See also Matt 12:1-8 , Luke 6:1-5 .


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


The Greek term ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpos ) is used twice in this verse in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”


The term “lord” is in emphatic position in the Greek text. sn A second point in Jesus’ defense of his disciples’ actions was that his authority as Son of Man also allowed it, since as Son of Man he was lord of the Sabbath .


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “Stand up in the middle.” sn Most likely synagogues were arranged with benches along the walls and open space in the center for seating on the floor.


The aorist participle περιβλεψάμενος ( peribleyameno" ) has been translated as antecedent (prior) to the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as contemporaneous (“Looking around…he said”).


This term is a collective singular in the Greek text.


Grk inserts “against him” after “Herodians.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has not been translated. sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13 ) and twice in Mark ( 3:6; 12:13 ; some mss also read “Herodians” instead of “Herod” in Mark 8:15 ). It is generally assumed that as a group the Herodians were Jewish supporters of the Herodian dynasty (or of Herod Antipas in particular). In every instance they are linked with the Pharisees. This probably reflects agreement regarding political objectives (nationalism as opposed to submission to the yoke of Roman oppression) rather than philosophy or religious beliefs.


Grk “destroy.”


The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


“River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).


For location see Map1-A2 ; Map2-G2 ; Map4-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Or “up a mountain” ( εἰς τὸ ὅρος , eis to Joro" ). sn The expression up the mountain here may be idiomatic or generic, much like the English “he went to the hospital” (cf. 15:29 ), or even intentionally reminiscent of Exod 24:12 (LXX), since the genre of the Sermon on the Mount seems to be that of a new Moses giving a new law.


Grk “And he.”


33 2427 Ï lat sy bo). Some important witnesses include the phrase ( א B C* Δ 565 579 pc ), but perhaps the best explanation for the omission of the clause in the majority of witnesses is haplography in combination with homoioarcton: The first word of the clause in question is καί ( kai ), and the first word after the clause in question is also καί . And the first two letters of the second word, in each instance, are επ ( ep ). Early scribes most likely jumped accidentally from the first καί to the second, omitting the intervening material. Thus the clause was most likely in the original text. (See 3:14 above for a related textual problem.)


Grk “to James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James.”


This disciple is called Λεββαῖον ( Lebbaion , “Lebbaeus”) in D it; see the discussion of the parallel text in Matt 10:3 where conflation occurs among other witnesses as well.


Grk “the Cananean,” but according to both BDAG 507 s.v. Καναναῖος and L&N 11.88, this term has no relation at all to the geographical terms for Cana or Canaan, but is derived from the Aramaic term for “ enthusiast, zealot ” (see Luke 6:15 ; Acts 1:13 ), possibly because of an earlier affiliation with the party of the Zealots. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the term would refer to his temperament.


Grk “who even betrayed him.”


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Western witnesses D W it, instead of reading οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ( Joi par ’ aujtou , here translated “family”), have περὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ λοιποί ( peri autou Joi grammatei" kai Joi loipoi , “[when] the scribes and others [heard] about him”). But this reading is obviously motivated, for it removes the embarrassing statement about Jesus’ family’s opinion of him as “out of his mind” and transfers this view to the Lord’s opponents. The fact that virtually all other witnesses have οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ here, coupled with the strong internal evidence for the shorter reading, shows this Western reading to be secondary. tn On the meaning “family” for οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ( Joi par ’ autou ), see BDAG 756-57 s.v. παρά A.3.b. β . ב . sn The incident involving the religious leaders accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil ( 3:22-30 ) is sandwiched between Mark’s mention of Jesus’ family coming to restrain him (the Greek word for restrain here is also used to mean arrest ; see Mark 6:17; 12:12; 14:1, 44, 46, 49, 51 ) because they thought he was out of his mind ( 3:21 ). It is probably Mark’s intention in this structure to show that Jesus’ family is to be regarded as not altogether unlike the experts in the law [scribes] in their perception of the true identity of Jesus; they are incorrect in their understanding of him as well. The tone is obviously one of sadness and the emphasis on Jesus’ true family in vv. 31-35 serves to underscore the comparison between his relatives and the scribes on the one hand, and those who truly obey God on the other.


Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “He has Beelzebul.” sn Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So some people recognized Jesus’ work as supernatural, but called it diabolical.


Or “prince.”


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


Grk “all the sins and blasphemies they may speak will be forgiven the sons of men.”


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


has the words in brackets, indicating some doubt as to their authenticity.


Grk “Who is my mother and my brothers?” The use of the singular verb ἐστιν ( estin ) here singles out Mary above Jesus’ brothers, giving her special prominence (see ExSyn 401-2). This is slightly unnatural in English since the predicate nominative is plural, though, so a plural verb was used in the translation.


Grk “Behold my mother and my brothers.”


The pleonastic pronoun οὗτος ( Jouto" , “this one”) which precedes this verb has not been translated.


Grk “and all the crowd.” The clause in this phrase, although coordinate in terms of grammar, is logically subordinate to the previous clause.


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.


Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”


Grk “it did not have root.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the final stage of the parable.


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 ).


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).


This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “are temporary.”


Grk “and.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


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).


Or “disclosed.”


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 ).


Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured to you.”


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.


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.


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 ).


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The phrase “of the lake” is not in the Greek text but is clearly implied; it has been supplied here for clarity.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the response to Jesus’ request.


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.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


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.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate a summary and transition in the narrative.


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.”


Grk “he had often been bound with chains and shackles.” “Shackles” could also be translated “fetters”; they were chains for the feet.


Grk “and.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


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….”


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “mountain,” but this might give the English reader the impression of a far higher summit.


Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Here δέ ( de ) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion and transition in the narrative.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate a transition to the response to the miraculous healing.


Grk “be,” that is, “remain.” In this context that would involve accompanying Jesus as he went on his way.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “So” to indicate the conclusion of the episode in the narrative.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


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 .


א A B C L Ï lat sy co}. The best explanation is that the phrase was accidentally dropped during the transmission of one strand of the Western text.


Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “a flow of blood.”


Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον ( Jimation ) denotes the outer garment in particular.


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.


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.”


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.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


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.


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.


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


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


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


Grk “those with him.”


Grk “into where the child was.”


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.


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.


) harmonize the words “carpenter, the son” to the parallel passage in Matt 13:55 , “the son of the carpenter.” Almost all the rest of the mss read “the carpenter, the son.” Since the explicit designation of Jesus as a carpenter is the more difficult reading, and is much better attested, it is most likely correct.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα ).


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.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


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 ]).


Grk “he”; here it is necessary to specify the referent as “Herod,” since the nearest previous antecedent in the translation is Philip.


The imperfect tense verb is here rendered with an iterative force.


Grk “and.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “was fearing,” “was respecting”; the imperfect tense connotes an ongoing fear or respect for John.


Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


33 Ï lat sy) have ἐποίει ( epoiei , “he did”; cf. KJV’s “he did many things.”) The best mss ( א B L [W] Θ 2427 co) support the reading followed in the translation. The variation may be no more than a simple case of confusion of letters, since the two readings look very much alike. The verb ποιέω ( poiew , “I do”) certainly occurs more frequently than ἀπορέω ( aporew , “I am at a loss”), so a scribe would be more likely to write a more familiar word. Further, even though the reading ἐποίει is the harder reading in terms of the sense, it is virtually nonsensical here, rendering it most likely an unintentional corruption. Or “terribly disturbed,” “rather perplexed.” The verb ἀπορέω ( aporew ) means “to be in perplexity, with the implication of serious anxiety” (L&N 32.9).


Grk “and.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “and yet” to indicate the concessive nature of the final clause.


Grk “him”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


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 .”


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.


places the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “She said”; the referent (the girl’s mother) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


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 ]).


Grk “she asked, saying.” The participle λέγουσα ( legousa ) is redundant and has not been translated.


Grk “and being deeply grieved, the king did not want.”


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “his”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “ran together on foot.” The idea of συντρέχω ( suntrecw ) is “to come together quickly to form a crowd” (L&N 15.133).


Or “cities.”


), conflate the two readings ( προῆλθον αὐτοὺς καὶ συνῆλθον πρὸς αὐτόν , “they preceded them and came together to him”). The reading adopted here thus has better external credentials than the variants. As well, it is the harder reading internally, being changed “by copyists who thought it unlikely that the crowd on the land could have outstripped the boat” ( TCGNT 78).


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “came out [of the boat],” with the reference to the boat understood.


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.


Or “a desert” (meaning a deserted or desolate area with sparse vegetation).


Grk “answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence has been changed for clarity.


Here the pronoun ὑμεῖς ( Jumeis ) is used, making “you” in the translation emphatic.


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


puts αὐτοῦ in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity. Grk “the disciples”; the Greek article has been translated here as a possessive pronoun ( ExSyn 215).


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.


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.


28 565 700 2542 lat sa) lack τοὺς ἄρτους ( tous artous , lit. “the loaves” [here translated “the bread”]). On the other hand, just as weighty mss (A B L 33 2427 Ï ) have the words. Although a decision is not easy, the most satisfactory explanation seems to be that scribes were more prone to delete than to add the words here. They may have been puzzled as to why “the bread” should be mentioned without a corresponding mention of “fish.” Since neither Matt 14:21 or Luke 9:17 explicitly mention the bread, a desire for harmonization may have motivated the copyists as well. On the other hand, D and W are prone to longer, explanatory readings. Since they both lack the words here, it is likely that their archetypes also lacked the words. But given Mark’s pleonastic style, the good witnesses with “the bread,” and a reasonable explanation for the omission, “the bread” is most likely part of the original text of Mark.


This verse is one complete sentence in the Greek text, but it has been broken into two sentences in English for clarity.


Grk “about the fourth watch of the night,” between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.


Or “on the lake.”


The καί ( kai ) was translated so as to introduce a subordinate clause, i.e., with the use of “for.” See BDF §442.9.


Grk “on the sea,” “on the lake.” The translation “water” has been used here for stylistic reasons (cf. the same phrase in v. 48 ).


Grk “he spoke with them, and said to them.”


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “wherever they heard he was.”


Grk “asked that they might touch.”


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Or “and some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


Grk “except they wash the hands with a fist,” a ceremonial washing (though the actual method is uncertain).


33 Ï latt) have the reading. Although normally the shorter reading is to be preferred, especially when it is backed by excellent witnesses as in this case, there are some good reasons to consider καὶ κλινῶν as authentic: (1) Although the addition of κλινῶν could be seen as motivated by a general assimilation to the purity regulations in (as some have argued), there are three problems with such a supposition: (a) the word κλίνη ( klinh ) does not occur in the LXX of ; (b) nowhere in is the furniture washed or sprinkled; and (c) the context of is about sexual impurity, while the most recent evidence suggests that κλίνη in Mark 7:4 , in keeping with the other terms used here, refers to a dining couch (cf. BDAG 549 s.v. κλίνη 2). Thus, it is difficult to see καὶ κλινῶν as a motivated reading. (2) κλίνη , though a relatively rare term in the NT, is in keeping with Markan usage (cf. Mark 4:21; 7:30 ). (3) The phrase could have been dropped accidentally, at least in some cases, via homoioteleuton. (4) The phrase may have been deliberately expunged by some scribes who thought the imagery of washing a dining couch quite odd. The longer reading, in this case, can thus be argued as the harder reading. On balance, even though a decision is difficult (especially because of the weighty external evidence for the shorter reading), it is preferable to retain καὶ κλινῶν in the text.


Grk “eat bread.”


The term “heart” is a collective singular in the Greek text.


Grk “Having left the command.”


2427 co), lacked this material also strongly suggests that the longer reading is secondary.


33 Ï co) or τηρῆτε ( thrhte ; B 2427), both translated “keep.” It is hard to know which reading is best: On the one hand, τηρήσητε / τηρῆτε has much stronger external support, but στήσητε is a more difficult reading. What makes “keep” suspect is that it appears in two different forms, suggesting independent alterations of a difficult reading. Further, scribes may have been influenced by the preceding “commandment of God” to change the text toward “keep” ( TCGNT 81), a common enough expression (cf. Matt 19:17 ; John 14:15 ; 1 Tim 6:1 ; 1 John 5:3 ; Rev 14:12 ). Thus, the more difficult reading is “set up.” Also, the more natural opposite of “reject” ( ἀθεῖτε [ aqeite ], literally “you set aside”) is “set up.” However, the Western reading may have been influenced by Exod 6:4 or Heb 10:9 , but this likelihood seems remote. Thus, “set up” is more likely to be the original wording of Mark here.


Grk “nullifying.” This participle shows the results of the Pharisees’ command.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Or “into the latrine.”


Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


33 2427 Ï lat), have here καὶ Σιδῶνος ( kai Sidwno" , “and Sidon”). The Western text, as well as several other important mss (D L W Δ Θ 28 565 it), lack the words. Although the external evidence is on the side of inclusion, it is difficult to explain why scribes would omit the mention of Sidon. On the other hand, the parallels in v. 31 and Matt 15:21 would be sufficient motivation for scribes to add Sidon here. Furthermore, every other mention of Tyre in the Gospels is accompanied by Sidon, putting pressure on scribes to conform this text as well. The shorter reading therefore, though without compelling external evidence on its side, is strongly supported by internal evidence, rendering judgment on its authenticity fairly certain. For location see Map1-A2 ; Map2-G2 ; Map4-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον ( kunarion ) simply means “dog.” sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request. This is the only miracle mentioned in Mark that Jesus performed at a distance without ever having seen the afflicted person, or issuing some sort of audible command.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


For location see Map1-A2 ; Map2-G2 ; Map4-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


For location see Map1-A1 ; JP3-F3 ; JP4-F3 .


Grk “his”; the referent (the deaf man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “his”; the referent (the man who had been a deaf mute) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “but as much as he ordered them, these rather so much more proclaimed.” Greek tends to omit direct objects when they are clear from the context, but these usually need to be supplied for the modern English reader. Here what Jesus ordered has been clarified (“ordered them not to do this”), and the pronoun “it” has been supplied after “proclaimed.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “And.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “They.”


The words “who ate” are not in the Greek text but have been supplied for clarity.


Grk “seeking from him.” The participle ζητοῦντες ( zhtountes ) shows the means by which the Pharisees argued with Jesus.


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “was giving them orders, saying.” The participle λέγων ( legwn ) is redundant in English and has not been translated.


Grk “And they were discussing with one another that they had no bread.”


Or “becoming aware of it.”


Or “discussing.”


Grk “do you not hear?”


puts αὐτῷ in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the implied sequence in the narrative.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “to him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “village, and.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


Grk “on him,” but the word πάλιν in v. 25 implies that Jesus touched the man’s eyes at this point.


The verb ἀναβλέπω , though normally meaning “look up,” when used in conjunction with blindness means “regain sight.”


Grk “his”; the referent (the blind man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Or “he looked intently”; or “he stared with eyes wide open” (BDAG 226 s.v. διαβλέπω 1).


Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


28 565 2542 pc ) expand on this prohibition to read “Go to your house, and if you go into the village, do not tell anyone.” There are several other variants here as well. While these expansions are not part of Mark’s original text, they do accurately reflect the sense of Jesus’ prohibition.


Fpr location see Map1-C1 ; Map2-F4 .


Grk “he asked his disciples, saying to them.” The phrase λέγων αὐτοῖς ( legwn autois ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


Grk “And they said to him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες ( legontes ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


Grk “Answering, Peter said to him.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Peter answered him.”


Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn The term χριστός ( cristos ) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the conclusion of the episode.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “So” to indicate Peter’s rebuke is in response to Jesus’ teaching about the suffering of the Son of Man.


Grk “people’s.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “to follow after me.”


This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.


Or “soul” (throughout vv. 35-37 ).


Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpo" ) is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


The Greek negative here ( οὐ μή , ou mh ) is the strongest possible.


Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).


Grk “And after six days.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “And answering, Peter said to Jesus.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant and has not been translated.


Or “dwellings,” “booths” (referring to the temporary booths constructed in the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles). sn Peter apparently wanted to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles or Booths that looked forward to the end and wanted to treat Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as equals by making three shelters (one for each). It was actually a way of expressing honor to Jesus, but the next few verses make it clear that it was not enough honor.


Grk “And there came a cloud, surrounding them.”


Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός ( agaphtos ) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1 ).


Grk “And they were asking him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες ( legontes ) is redundant and has not been translated.


Or “Why do the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk The participle προστρέχοντες ( prostrecontes ) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


The words “to do so” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity and stylistic reasons.


Grk “And answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant, but the phrasing of the sentence was modified slightly to make it clearer in English.


Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ ( w ), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”


Or “faithless.” sn The rebuke for lack of faith has OT roots: Num 14:27 ; Deut 32:5, 30 ; Isa 59:8 .


Grk “how long.”


Or “put up with.” See Num 11:12 ; Isa 46:4 .


Grk “him.”


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


] W). The reading that best explains the rise of the others is τὸ εἰ δύνῃ . The neuter article indicates that the Lord is now quoting the boy’s father who, in v. 22 , says εἴ τι δύνῃ ( ei ti dunh , “if you are able to do anything”). The article is thus used anaphorically (see ExSyn 238). However, scribes could easily have overlooked this idiom and would consequently read τὸ εἰ δύνῃ as the protasis of a conditional clause of the Lord’s statement. As such, it would almost demand the infinitive πιστεῦσαι , producing the reading τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι (“if you are able to believe, all things are possible…”). But the article here seems to be meaningless, prompting other scribes to modify the text still further. Some dropped the nonsensical article, while others turned it into the demonstrative τοῦτο and dropped the infinitive. It is clear that scribes had difficulty with the original wording here, and made adjustments in various directions. What might not be so clear is the exact genealogy of the descent of all the readings. However, τὸ εἰ δύνῃ is both a hard saying, best explains the rise of the other readings, and is supported by the best witnesses. It thus rightly deserves to be considered authentic.


Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).


Grk “he”; the referent (the boy) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


33 Ï lat co), have “and fasting” ( καὶ νηστείᾳ , kai nhsteia ) after “prayer” here. But this seems to be a motivated reading, due to the early church’s emphasis on fasting ( TCGNT 85; cf., e.g., 2 Clem . 16:4; Pol. Phil 7:2; Did . 1:3; 7:4). That the most important witnesses ( א * B), as well as a few others (0274 2427 k), lack καὶ νηστείᾳ , when a good reason for the omission is difficult to find, argues strongly for the shorter reading.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων ( anqrwpwn ) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV, “into human hands”; CEV, “to people”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56 ; Mark 14:43-52 ; Luke 22:47-53 ; John 18:2-12 ), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.


Grk “They will kill him, and being killed, after…” The redundancy in the statement has been removed in the translation.


For location see Map1-D2 ; Map2-C3 ; Map3-B2 .


This verb, δέχομαι ( decomai ), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


Grk “in [the] name that of Christ you are.”


Or “bear the Messiah’s”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn See the note on Christ in 8:29 .


Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Matt 18:6 . sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.


Grk “than having.”


Grk “throw it out.”


28 565 579 1241 al ) read πέραν (simply “beyond”). It is difficult to decide between the Alexandrian and Western readings here, but since the parallel in Matt 19:1 omits καί the weight is slightly in favor of including it here; scribes may have omitted the word here to harmonize this passage to the Matthean passage. Because of the perceived geographical difficulties found in the earlier readings (omission of the word “and” would make it seem as though Judea is beyond the Jordan), the majority of the witnesses (A Ï ) read διὰ τοῦ πέραν ( dia tou peran , “through the other side”), perhaps trying to indicate the direction of Jesus’ travel.


“River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).


In Greek this phrase occurs at the end of the sentence. It has been brought forward to conform to English style.


The personal pronoun “his” is not in the Greek text, but is certainly implied and has been supplied in the English translation to clarify the sense of the statement (cf. “his wife” in 10:7 ).


The particle εἰ ( ei ) is often used to introduce both indirect and direct questions. Thus, another possible translation is to take this as an indirect question: “They asked him if it were lawful for a man to divorce his wife.” See BDF §440.3. sn The question of the Pharisees was anything but sincere; they were asking it to test him . Jesus was now in the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan) and it is likely that the Pharisees were hoping he might answer the question of divorce in a way similar to John the Baptist and so suffer the same fate as John, i.e., death at the hands of Herod (cf. 6:17-19 ). Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over Deut 24:1 , but rather from the account of creation and God’s original design.


Grk “But answering, he said to them.”


Grk “to divorce.” The pronoun has been supplied in the translation for clarity. sn An allusion to Deut 24:1 . The Pharisees were all in agreement that the OT permitted a man to write a certificate of dismissal and divorce his wife (not vice-versa) and that remarriage was therefore sanctioned. But the two rabbinic schools of Shammai and Hillel differed on the grounds for divorce. Shammai was much stricter than Hillel and permitted divorce only in the case of sexual immorality. Hillel permitted divorce for almost any reason (cf. the Mishnah, m. Gittin 9.10).


Grk “heart” (a collective singular).


Ï lat sy), while the most important witnesses, along with a few others, lack ὁ θεός ( א B C L Δ 579 2427 co). On the one hand, it is possible that the shorter reading is an assimilation to the wording of the LXX of Gen 1:27 b where ὁ θεός is lacking. However, since it is mentioned at the beginning of the verse ( Gen 1:27 a) with ἐποίησεν scribes may have been motivated to add it in Mark to make the subject clear. Further, confusion could easily arise in this dominical saying, because Moses was the previously mentioned subject (v. 5 ) and inattentive readers might regard him as the subject of ἐποίησεν in v. 6 . Thus, both on internal and external grounds, the most probable wording of the original text here lacked ὁ θεός .


has the longer reading in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “So” to indicate that Jesus’ statement is in response to the disciples’ question (v. 10 ).


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “so that he would touch them.” Here the touch is connected with (or conveys) a blessing (cf. v. 16 ; also BDAG 126 s.v. ἅπτω 2.c).


] Ï lat sy), but it is probably a motivated reading. Since the subject is not explicit in the earliest and best witnesses as well as several others ( א B C L Δ Ψ 579 892 2427), scribes would be prone to add “those who brought them” here to clarify that the children were not the ones being scolded. It could be argued that the masculine pronoun αὐτοῖς ( autois , “them”) only rarely was used with the neuter antecedent παιδία ( paidia , “children”), and thus the longer reading was not motivated by scribal clarification. However, such rare usage is found in Mark (cf. 5:41; 9:24-26 ); further, scribes routinely added clarifications when such were not necessary. Thus, both on external and internal grounds, the shorter reading is strongly preferred. Similar motivations are behind the translation here, namely, “those who brought them” has been supplied to ensure that the parents who brought the children are in view, not the children themselves. Grk “the disciples scolded them.”


The negation in Greek ( οὐ μή , ou mh ) is very strong here.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sn Mark 10:17-31 . The following unit, Mark 10:17-31 , can be divided up into three related sections: (1) the rich man’s question (vv. 17-22 ); (2) Jesus’ teaching on riches and the kingdom of God (vv. 23-27 ); and (3) Peter’s statement and Jesus’ answer (vv. 28-31 ). They are all tied together around the larger theme of the relationship of wealth to the kingdom Jesus had been preaching. The point is that it is impossible to attain to the kingdom by means of riches. The passage as a whole is found in the section 8:27-10:52 in which Mark has been focusing on Jesus’ suffering and true discipleship. In vv. 28-31 Jesus does not deny great rewards to those who follow him, both in the present age and in the age to come, but it must be thoroughly understood that suffering will be integral to the mission of the disciples and the church, for in the very next section ( 10:32-34 ) Jesus reaffirmed the truth about his coming rejection, suffering, death, and resurrection.


Grk “He”; the referent (the man who asked the question in v. 17 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail throughout his life, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.


Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sn While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws , he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man’s response to Jesus’ command to give away all he had revealed that internally he loved money more than God.


The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


Grk “he”; the referent (the man who asked the question in v. 17 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “he had many possessions.” This term ( κτῆμα , kthma ) is often used for land as a possession.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “But answering, Jesus again said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant and has not been translated.


28 565 2427 Ï lat sy) have here “for those who trust in riches” ( τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐπὶ [ τοῖς ] χρήμασιν , tou" pepoiqota" epi [ toi" ] crhmasin ); W has πλούσιον ( plousion ) later in the verse, producing the same general modification on the dominical saying (“how hard it is for the rich to enter…”). But such qualifications on the Lord’s otherwise harsh and absolute statements are natural scribal expansions, intended to soften the dictum. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, along with a few others ( א B Δ Ψ sa), lack any such qualifications. That W lacks the longer expansion and only has πλούσιον suggests that its archetype agreed with א B here; its voice should be heard with theirs. Thus, both on external and internal grounds, the shorter reading is preferred.


28 579 pc ) read κάμιλον ( kamilon , “rope”) for κάμηλον ( kamhlon , “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.


Grk “But they were even more astonished, saying.” The participle λέγονες ( legontes ) has been translated here as a finite verb to emphasize the sequence of events: The disciples were astonished, then they spoke.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of thought.


The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις ( anqrwpois ) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men …all things are possible for God ”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation.


Grk “We have left everything and followed you.” Koine Greek often used paratactic structure when hypotactic was implied.


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


Grk “this time” ( καιρός , kairos ), but for stylistic reasons this has been translated “this age” here.


Grk “with persecutions.” The “all” has been supplied to clarify that the prepositional phrase belongs not just to the “fields.”


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


Or “chief priests and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Traditionally, “scourge him” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19 ; Mk 10:34 ; Lk 18:33 ”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω ( mastigow ) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω ( fragellow ) used in Matt 27:26 ; Mark 15:15 .


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Ï sy), have “on the third day” ( τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ , th trith Jhmera ) instead of “after three days.” But not only does Mark nowhere else speak of the resurrection as occurring on the third day, the idiom he uses is a harder reading (cf. Mark 8:31; 9:31 , though in the latter text the later witnesses also have τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ). Further, τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ conforms to the usage that is almost universally used in Matthew and Luke, and is found in the parallels to this text ( Matt 20:19 ; Luke 18:33 ). Thus, scribes would be doubly motivated to change the wording. The most reliable witnesses, along with several other mss ( א B C D L Δ Ψ 579 892 2427 it co), have resisted this temptation.


Grk “baptism I am baptized with.” This same change has been made in v. 39 .


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “the ten.”


The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


Though δοῦλος ( doulos ) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. 1 ). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος ), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.


For location see Map5-B2 ; Map6-E1 ; Map7-E1 ; Map8-E3 ; Map10-A2 ; Map11-A1 .


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “to shout and to say.” The infinitive λέγειν ( legein ) is redundant here and has not been translated.


Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “And answering, Jesus said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς is redundant and has not been translated.


Or “Master”; Grk ῥαββουνί ( rabbouni ).


Grk “that I may see [again].” The phrase can be rendered as an imperative of request, “Please, give me sight.” Since the man is not noted as having been blind from birth (as the man in was) it is likely the request is to receive back the sight he once had.


Or “received” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in v. 51 ).


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


Grk “the village lying before you” (BDAG 530 s.v. κατέναντι 2.b).


Grk “a colt tied there on which no one of men has ever sat.”


Grk “they”; the referent (the people mentioned in v. 5 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13 .


The expression ῾Ωσαννά ( Jwsanna , literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” The introductory ὡσαννά is followed by the words of Ps 118:25 , εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου ( euloghmeno" Jo ercomeno" en onomati kuriou ), although in the Fourth Gospel the author adds for good measure καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ ( kai Jo basileu" tou Israhl ). In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84. sn Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the transition from the previous narrative.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “anything.”


Grk “And answering, he said to it.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant and has not been translated.


Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “the temple.” sn The merchants ( those who were selling ) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.


Grk “the temple.” sn Matthew (21:12-27), Mark (here, 11:15-19 ), and Luke (19:45-46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John ( 2:13-16 ) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.


Or “things.” The Greek word σκεῦος ( skeuos ) can refer to merchandise, property, goods, a vessel, or even generally “things” (but in the sense of some implement or tool). The idea here is almost certainly restricted to merchandise, rather than the more general “things,” although some suggest from the parallel with m. Berakhot 9.5 that Jesus was not even allowing sandals, staffs, or coin-purses to be carried through the court. The difficulty with this interpretation, however, is that it is fundamentally an appeal to Jewish oral tradition (something Jesus rarely sided with) as well as being indiscriminate toward all the worshipers.


Grk “the temple.”


The imperfect ἐδίδασκεν ( edidasken ) is here taken ingressively.


Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).


Or “The chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “how they could destroy him.”


Grk “they”; the referents (Jesus and his disciples) have been specified in the translation for clarity. Without such clarification there is room for considerable confusion here, since there are two prior sets of plural referents in the context, “the chief priests and experts in the law” and “the whole crowd” (both in v. 18 ).


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


Although the Greek subjunctive mood, formally required in a subordinate clause introduced by ἵνα ( {ina ), is traditionally translated by an English subjunctive (e.g., “may,” so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), changes in the use of the subjunctive in English now result in most readers understanding such a statement as indicating permission (“may” = “has permission to”) or as indicating uncertainty (“may” = “might” or “may or may not”). Thus a number of more recent translations render such instances by an English future tense (“will,” so TEV, CEV, NLT, NASB 1995 update). That approach has been followed here.


For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Or “the chief priests, the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a. γ .


The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων ( anqrwpwn ) is probably used here (and in v. 32 ) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”). sn The question is whether John’s ministry was of divine or human origin.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “answering, they said to Jesus.” The participle ἀποκριθέντες ( apokriqentes ) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified to conform to English style.


On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a. γ . This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 28 .


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44 . sn This slave (along with the others) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.


Grk “from the tenants,” but this is redundant in English, so the pronoun (“them”) was used in the translation.


Grk “from the fruits of the vineyard.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Grk “But they”; the referent (the tenants, v. 1 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “seizing him, they beat and sent away empty-handed.” The referent of the direct object of “seizing” (the slave sent by the owner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The objects of the verbs “beat” and “sent away” have been supplied in the translation to conform to English style. Greek often omits direct objects when they are clear from the context.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first slave.


Grk “one beloved son.” See comment at Mark 1:11 . sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.


Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες ( labontes ) has been translated as attendant circumstance.


Grk “him.”


Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας ( kefalh gwnia" ) refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone. sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone . The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Matt 21:42 ; Luke 20:17 ; Acts 4:11 ; 1 Pet 2:6-8 ; cf. also Eph 2:20 ). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 in Mark 12:10-11 is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to introduce a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.


Grk “trap him in word.”


Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”


Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν ( exestin ) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.


According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος ( khnso" ) was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government. sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.


Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).


Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”


Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον ( dhnarion ) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note. sn A denarius was a silver coin stamped with the image of the emperor and worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer.


Here δέ ( de ) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.


Or “whose likeness.” sn In this passage Jesus points to the image ( Grk εἰκών , eikwn ) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.


Grk “they said to him.”


Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες ( legontes ) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


Grk “his brother”; but this would be redundant in English with the same phrase “his brother” at the end of the verse, so most modern translations render this phrase “the man” (so NIV, NRSV).


The use of ἵνα ( Jina ) with imperatival force is unusual (BDF §470.1).


Grk “raise up seed” (an idiom for fathering children).


Grk “took a wife” (an idiom for marrying a woman).


. The strong external pedigree of the shorter reading gives one pause. Nevertheless, the Alexandrian and other mss most likely dropped the words from the text either to conform the wording to the parallel in Matt 22:28 or because “when they rise again” was redundant. But the inclusion of these words is thoroughly compatible with Mark’s usually pleonastic style (see TCGNT 93), and therefore most probably authentic to Mark’s Gospel.


Grk “For the seven had her as wife.”


Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c. γ ).


Grk “Now as for the dead that they are raised.”


Grk “and the,” 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.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).


Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn See the note on Christ in 8:29 .


Grk “David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ So how is he his son?” The conditional nuance, implicit in Greek, has been made explicit in the translation (cf. Matt 22:45 ).


Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


In Greek this is the only infinitive in vv. 38-39 . It would be awkward in English to join an infinitive to the following noun clauses, so this has been translated as a gerund.


Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 38 .


Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, TDNT 5:131; BDAG 695 s.v. οἶκια 1.a).


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


33 2542 Ï lat), have ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ( Jo Ihsou" , “Jesus”) as the explicit subject here, while א B L Δ Ψ 892 2427 pc lack the name. A natural scribal tendency is to expand the text, especially to add the Lord’s name as the explicit subject of a verb. Scribes much less frequently omitted the Lord’s name (cf. the readings of W Θ 565 1424 in Mark 12:17 ). The internal and external evidence support one another here in behalf of the shorter reading.


On the term γαζοφυλάκιον ( gazofulakion ), often translated “treasury,” see BDAG 186 s.v., which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43 ; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself. sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200); 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294), and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Luke 21:1 ; John 8:20 ).


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


See the note on the term “offering box” in v. 41 .


Grk “out of what abounded to them.”


Grk “not one stone will be left here on another which will not be thrown down.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


Grk “and James and John,” 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.


Or “Be on guard.”


That is, “I am the Messiah.”


Grk “it is not yet the end.”


For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.


Grk “They will hand you over.” “They” is an indefinite plural, referring to people in general. The parallel in Matt 10:17 makes this explicit.


Grk “in that hour.”


Or “will rebel against.”


Traditionally, “tribulation.”


Grk “the days.”


Or “false christs”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”


Grk “they.”


Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός ( ouranos ) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.


The verb γινώσκετε ( ginwskete , “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.


Ï lat sy co) have καὶ προσεύχεσθε after ἀγρυπνεῖτε ( agrupneite kai proseucesqe , “stay alert and pray”). This may be a motivated reading, influenced by the similar command in Mark 14:38 where προσεύχεσθε is solidly attested, and more generally from the parallel in Luke 21:36 (though δέομαι [ deomai , “ask”] is used there). As B. M. Metzger notes, it is a predictable variant that scribes would have been likely to produce independently of each other ( TCGNT 95). The words are not found in B D 2427 a c {d} k. Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is slender, it probably better accounts for the longer reading than vice versa.


See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44 .


Grk “giving.”


Or “the chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “were seeking how.”


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Μύρον ( muron ) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The adjective πιστικῆς ( pistikh" ) is difficult with regard to its exact meaning; some have taken it to derive from πίστις ( pistis ) and relate to the purity of the oil of nard. More probably it is something like a brand name, “pistic nard,” the exact significance of which has not been discovered. sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This aromatic oil , if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.


The word “expensive” is not in the Greek text but has been included to suggest a connection to the lengthy phrase “costly aromatic oil from pure nard” occurring earlier in v. 3 . The author of Mark shortened this long phrase to just one word in Greek when repeated here, and the phrase “expensive ointment” used in the translation is intended as an abbreviated paraphrase.


Here γάρ ( gar ) has not been translated.


Grk “three hundred denarii.” One denarius was the standard day’s wage, so the value exceeded what a laborer could earn in a year (taking in to account Sabbaths and feast days when no work was done).


The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.


In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.


Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “betray him to them”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.


Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the flow within the narrative.


Grk “and came.”


The prepositional phrase “to the house” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.


Grk “while they were reclined at the table.” sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table , but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.


Or “will hand me over”; Grk “one of you will betray me, the one who eats with me.”


Grk “one who dips with me.” The phrase “his hand” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


Grk “this is my blood of the covenant that is poured out for many.” In order to avoid confusion about which is poured out, the translation supplies “blood” twice so that the following phrase clearly modifies “blood,” not “covenant.”


Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).


Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “said emphatically.”


Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


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.


The word means “Father” in Aramaic.


Grk “because their eyes were weighed down,” an idiom for becoming extremely or excessively sleepy (L&N 23.69).


Or “Sleep on, and get your rest.” This sentence can be taken either as a question or a sarcastic command.


565 2542 pc it) reads, “Enough of that! It is the end and the hour has come.” Evidently, this addition highlights Jesus’ assertion that what he had predicted about his own death was now coming true (cf. Luke 22:37 ). Even though the addition highlights the accuracy of Jesus’ prediction, it should not be regarded as part of the text of Mark, since it receives little support from the rest of the witnesses and because D especially is prone to expand the wording of a text.


Grk “the one who betrays me.”


Or “approached.” This is a different verb than the one translated “arrived” in Matt 26:47 and below in v. 45 , although in this context the meanings probably overlap.


Or “from the chief priests, scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Grk “the one who betrays him.”


Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “put their hands on him.”


See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44 .


Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “ revolutionary, insurrectionist ,” citing evidence from Josephus ( J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan ( Luke 10:30 ).


Grk “and”; καί ( kai ) is elastic enough to be used contrastively on occasion, as here.


Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.


Grk “they”; the referent (Jesus’ disciples) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


Grk “Some standing up gave false testimony against him, saying.”


Grk “in the middle.”


Grk “questioned him and said to him.”


Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn See the note on Christ in 8:29 .


Grk “What do you think?”


For the translation of ῥάπισμα ( rJapisma ), see L&N 19.4.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


The Greek term here is παιδίσκη ( paidiskh ), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.


Grk “he denied it, saying.” The participle λέγων ( legwn ) is redundant in English and has not been translated.


Grk “I do not know or understand what you are saying.” In the translation this is taken as a hendiadys (a figure of speech where two terms express a single meaning, usually for emphatic reasons).


33 [1424] Ï lat). The omission could have been intentional on the part of some Alexandrian scribes who wished to bring this text in line with the other Gospel accounts that only mention a rooster crowing once ( Matt 26:74 ; Luke 22:60 ; John 18:27 ). The insertion could be an attempt to make the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in 14:30 more explicit. Internally, the words “and a rooster crowed” fit Mark’s Gospel here, not only in view of 14:30 , “before a rooster crows twice,” but also in view of the mention of “a second time” in 14:71 (a reading which is much more textually secure). Nevertheless, a decision is difficult. A real rooster crowing is probably in view here (rather than the Roman trumpet call known as gallicinium ), in part due to the fact that Mark mentions the rooster crowing twice. See the discussion at Matt 26:74 .


Grk “Truly you are.”


This occurrence of the word ἀλέκτωρ ( alektwr , “rooster”) is anarthrous and consequently may not point back explicitly to the rooster which had crowed previously in v. 68 . The reason for the anarthrous construction is most likely to indicate generically that some rooster crowed. Further, the translation of ἀλέκτωρ as an indefinite noun retains the subtlety of the Greek in only hinting at the Lord’s prediction v. 30 . See also NAB, TEV, NASB.


Grk “he wept deeply.”