The Gospel According to Mark

Back to page 1

Mark 4

35

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."

36

Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.

37

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

38

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

39

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

41

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Mark 5

1

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. ^[1]

2

When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came from the tombs to meet him.

3

This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.

4

For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

5

Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.

7

He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!"

8

For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"

9

Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."

10

And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.

12

The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them."

13

He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

15

When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16

Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well.

17

Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.

19

Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

20

So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis ^[2] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

21

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.

22

Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet

23

and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

24

So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.

25

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.

26

She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.

27

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,

28

because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."

29

Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

31

"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, `Who touched me?'"

32

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.

33

Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

34

He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

35

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"

36

Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

37

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

38

When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.

39

He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."

40

But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.

41

He took her by the hand and said to her, <"Talitha koum!"> (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").

42

Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

43

He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Mark 6

1

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.

2

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!

3

Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, ^[3] Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

4

Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

5

He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

6

And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

7

Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

8

These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.

9

Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.

10

Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.

11

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."

12

They went out and preached that people should repent.

13

They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

14

King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, ^[4] "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him."

15

Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."

16

But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"

17

For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.

18

For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

19

So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to,

20

because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled ^[5]; yet he liked to listen to him.

21

Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

22

When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."

23

And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24

She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.

25

At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

26

The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.

27

So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison,

28

and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.

29

On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

30

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done. ^[6]

31

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

32

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

33

But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

34

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to heal them. ^[7]

35

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late.

36

Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."

37

But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take eight months of a man's wages ^[8]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"

38

"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish."

39

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

40

So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

42

They all ate and were satisfied,

43

and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

44

The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

The Bethsaida Section

Bethsaida section: 6:45-8:21. Most used by Matthew, but none by Luke. This section is pseudo-Marcan, but does not come from Mark's pen; it was added by a member of Mark's community, probably in the Galilean area where Matthew got a hold of it. See my Bethsaida project.

Mark 8

22

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

23

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"

24

He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."

25

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

26

Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village.^[9]

27

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

28

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."

29

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ. ^[10]"

30

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

31

He then began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days be raised. ^[11]

32

He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

34

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

35

For whoever wants to save his life ^[12] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

36

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

37

Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

38

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Mark 9

1

And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

2

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.

3

His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.

4

And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5

Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

6

(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7

Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

8

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10

They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

11

And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

12

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?

13

But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

14

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.

15

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they ran to greet him.

16

"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

17

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit.

18

Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

19

"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

20

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.

22

"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

23

"`If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

24

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

25

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the unclean spirit.

26

And the demon departed and the boy was healed.^[13]

28

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

29

He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer. ^[14]"

30

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were. ^[15]

31

He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will be raised."

32

But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

33

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"

34

But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

36

He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,

37

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

38

"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

39

"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me,

40

for whoever is not against us is for us.

41

I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

42

"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

43

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. ^[16]

45

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^[17]

47

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

48

where "`their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' ^[18]

49

Everyone will be salted with fire.

50

"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

1. 1 Some manuscripts Gadarenes; other manuscripts Gergesenes
2. 20 The "Ten Cities" - Hellenistic.
3. 3 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph
4. 14 Some early manuscripts He was saying
5. 20 Some early manuscripts he did many things
6. 30 Canonical Mark adds and what they had taught
7. 34 Canonical Mark has and Jesus began to teach them many things
8. 37 Greek take two hundred denarii
9. 26 Some manuscripts Don't go and tell anyone in the village. 22-26 isn't in Luke OR Matthew, but echoes of it remain (like Luke 9:10). I moved it here after much reflection. See the Bethsaida project.
10. 29 Or Messiah. "The Christ" (Greek) and "the Messiah" (Hebrew) both mean "the Anointed One."
11. 31 Canonical Mark has rise
12. 35 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 36.
13. 25 Neither Matthew nor Luke preserve 9:14b-16, 21, 22b-24. Some of this may be common omission. Jesus's hot-headedness was a theme of Mark that Matthew and Luke do not reproduce. Ehrman thinks that the two did this by choice, but Jesus's anger is also found in the Secret Mark story of Lazarus.

    At any rate, this pericope has the classic Canonical/Secret Marcan blend of magic, marvels, and resurrection. The crowd are "struck with amazement" (15) and the demon is a "deaf and mute spirit" (17). In verse 25-28, Canonical Mark adds: and said, "You deaf and mute spirit, come out of him and never enter him again... And [the boy] became like dead, so that many said "He died". But Jesus grasped his hand and raised him up, and he rose. This is magic as seen (or, perhaps, revealed) in Canonical Mark's 7:31-37 and 8:22-26.

    I have taken the middle road. I believe that the impatience and crowds were original to Mark, which Matthew and Luke agreed were overstated. However, the magical formulae, amazement, and resurrection are Secret/Canonical Mark's additions.

14. 29 Some manuscripts prayer and fasting
15. 30 Canonical Mark adds: because he was instructing his disciples
16. 43 Some manuscripts out, [44] where "`their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'
17. 45 Some manuscripts hell, [46] where "`their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'
18. 48 Isaiah 66:24