1:21 Then 5 they went to Capernaum. 6 When the Sabbath came, 7 Jesus 8 went into the synagogue 9 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 10 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 11 not like the experts in the law. 12 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 13 and he cried out, 14 1:24 “Leave us alone, 15 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 16 of God!” 1:25 But 17 Jesus rebuked him: 18 “Silence! Come out of him!” 19 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 20 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 21 as soon as they left the synagogue, 22 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 23 they spoke to Jesus 24 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 25 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 26 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 27 But 28 he would not permit the demons to speak, 29 because they knew him. 30
1:35 Then 31 Jesus 32 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 33 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 34 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 35 1:39 So 36 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 37 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 38 a leper 39 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 40 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 41 Jesus 42 stretched out his hand and touched 43 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 44 sent the man 45 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 46 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 47 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 48 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 49 1:45 But as the man 50 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 51 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 52 they kept coming 53 to him from everywhere.
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 54 of Jesus Christ, 55 the Son of God. 56 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 57
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 58
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 59 his paths straight.’” 60
1:4 In the wilderness 61 John the baptizer 62 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 63 1:5 People 64 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 65 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 66 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 67 1:7 He proclaimed, 68 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 69 to bend down and untie the strap 70 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 71 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 72 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 73 1:10 And just as Jesus 74 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 75 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 76 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 77 in you I take great delight.” 78 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 79 enduring temptations from Satan. He 80 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 81
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 82 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 83 of God. 84 1:15 He 85 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 86 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 87 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 88
1:21 Then 90 they went to Capernaum. 91 When the Sabbath came, 92 Jesus 93 went into the synagogue 94 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 95 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 96 not like the experts in the law. 97 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 98 and he cried out, 99 1:24 “Leave us alone, 100 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 101 of God!” 1:25 But 102 Jesus rebuked him: 103 “Silence! Come out of him!” 104 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 105 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 106 as soon as they left the synagogue, 107 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 108 they spoke to Jesus 109 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 110 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 111 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 112 But 113 he would not permit the demons to speak, 114 because they knew him. 115
1:35 Then 116 Jesus 117 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 118 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 119 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 120 1:39 So 121 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 122 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 123 a leper 124 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 125 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 126 Jesus 127 stretched out his hand and touched 128 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 129 sent the man 130 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 131 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 132 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 133 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 134 1:45 But as the man 135 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 136 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 137 they kept coming 138 to him from everywhere.
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 139 of Jesus Christ, 140 the Son of God. 141 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 142
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 143
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 144 his paths straight.’” 145
1:4 In the wilderness 146 John the baptizer 147 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 148 1:5 People 149 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 150 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 151 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 152 1:7 He proclaimed, 153 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 154 to bend down and untie the strap 155 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 156 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 157 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 158 1:10 And just as Jesus 159 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 160 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 161 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 162 in you I take great delight.” 163 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 164 enduring temptations from Satan. He 165 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 166
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 167 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 168 of God. 169 1:15 He 170 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 171 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 172 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 173 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 174 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 175 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 176 they went to Capernaum. 177 When the Sabbath came, 178 Jesus 179 went into the synagogue 180 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 181 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 182 not like the experts in the law. 183 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 184 and he cried out, 185
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 187
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 188 his paths straight.’” 189
1:4 In the wilderness 190 John the baptizer 191 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 192 1:5 People 193 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 194 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 195 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 196 1:7 He proclaimed, 197 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 198 to bend down and untie the strap 199 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:21 Then 200 they went to Capernaum. 201 When the Sabbath came, 202 Jesus 203 went into the synagogue 204 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 205 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 206 not like the experts in the law. 207
1:29 Now 209 as soon as they left the synagogue, 210 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 211 they spoke to Jesus 212 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 213 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 214 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 215 But 216 he would not permit the demons to speak, 217 because they knew him. 218
1:35 Then 219 Jesus 220 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 221 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 222 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 223 1:39 So 224 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 225 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 226 a leper 227 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 228 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 229 Jesus 230 stretched out his hand and touched 231 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 232 sent the man 233 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 234 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 235 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 236 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 237 1:45 But as the man 238 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 239 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 240 they kept coming 241 to him from everywhere.
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 242 of Jesus Christ, 243 the Son of God. 244 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 245
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 246
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 247 his paths straight.’” 248
1:4 In the wilderness 249 John the baptizer 250 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 251 1:5 People 252 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 253 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 254 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 255 1:7 He proclaimed, 256 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 257 to bend down and untie the strap 258 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 259 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 260 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 261 1:10 And just as Jesus 262 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 263 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 264 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 265 in you I take great delight.” 266 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 267 enduring temptations from Satan. He 268 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 269
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 270 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 271 of God. 272
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 279 of Jesus Christ, 280 the Son of God. 281
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 282 of Jesus Christ, 283 the Son of God. 284 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 285
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 286
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 287 his paths straight.’” 288
1:4 In the wilderness 289 John the baptizer 290 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 291 1:5 People 292 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 293 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 294 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 295 1:7 He proclaimed, 296 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 297 to bend down and untie the strap 298 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 299 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 300 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 301 1:10 And just as Jesus 302 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 303 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 304 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 305 in you I take great delight.” 306 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 307 enduring temptations from Satan. He 308 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 309
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 310 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 311 of God. 312 1:15 He 313 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 314 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 315 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 316 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 317 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 318 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 319 they went to Capernaum. 320 When the Sabbath came, 321 Jesus 322 went into the synagogue 323 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 324 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 325 not like the experts in the law. 326 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 327 and he cried out, 328 1:24 “Leave us alone, 329 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 330 of God!” 1:25 But 331 Jesus rebuked him: 332 “Silence! Come out of him!” 333 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 334 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 335 as soon as they left the synagogue, 336 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 337 they spoke to Jesus 338 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 339 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 340 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 341 But 342 he would not permit the demons to speak, 343 because they knew him. 344
1:35 Then 345 Jesus 346 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 347 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 348 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 349 1:39 So 350 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 351 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 352 a leper 353 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 354 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 355 Jesus 356 stretched out his hand and touched 357 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 358 sent the man 359 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 360 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 361 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 362 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 363 1:45 But as the man 364 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 365 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 366 they kept coming 367 to him from everywhere.
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 368 of Jesus Christ, 369 the Son of God. 370 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 371
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 372
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 373 his paths straight.’” 374
1:4 In the wilderness 375 John the baptizer 376 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 377 1:5 People 378 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 379 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 380 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 381 1:7 He proclaimed, 382 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 383 to bend down and untie the strap 384 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 385 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 386 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 387 1:10 And just as Jesus 388 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 389 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 390 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 391 in you I take great delight.” 392 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 393 enduring temptations from Satan. He 394 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 395
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 396 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 397 of God. 398 1:15 He 399 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 400 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 401 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 402 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 403 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 404 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 405 they went to Capernaum. 406 When the Sabbath came, 407 Jesus 408 went into the synagogue 409 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 410 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 411 not like the experts in the law. 412 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 413 and he cried out, 414 1:24 “Leave us alone, 415 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 416 of God!” 1:25 But 417 Jesus rebuked him: 418 “Silence! Come out of him!” 419 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 420 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 421 as soon as they left the synagogue, 422 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 423 they spoke to Jesus 424 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 425 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 426 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 427 But 428 he would not permit the demons to speak, 429 because they knew him. 430
1:35 Then 431 Jesus 432 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 433 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 434 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 435 1:39 So 436 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 437 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 438 a leper 439 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 440 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 441 Jesus 442 stretched out his hand and touched 443 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 444 sent the man 445 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 446 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 447 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 448 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 449 1:45 But as the man 450 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 451 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 452 they kept coming 453 to him from everywhere.
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 454 of Jesus Christ, 455 the Son of God. 456 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 457
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 458
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 459 his paths straight.’” 460
1:4 In the wilderness 461 John the baptizer 462 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 463 1:5 People 464 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 465 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 466 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 467 1:7 He proclaimed, 468 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 469 to bend down and untie the strap 470 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 471 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 472 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 473 1:10 And just as Jesus 474 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 475 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 476 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 477 in you I take great delight.” 478 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 479 enduring temptations from Satan. He 480 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 481
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 482 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 483 of God. 484 1:15 He 485 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 486 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 487 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 488 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 489 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 490 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 491 they went to Capernaum. 492 When the Sabbath came, 493 Jesus 494 went into the synagogue 495 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 496 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 497 not like the experts in the law. 498 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 499 and he cried out, 500 1:24 “Leave us alone, 501 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 502 of God!” 1:25 But 503 Jesus rebuked him: 504 “Silence! Come out of him!” 505 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 506 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 507 as soon as they left the synagogue, 508 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 509 they spoke to Jesus 510 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 511 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 512 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 513 But 514 he would not permit the demons to speak, 515 because they knew him. 516
1:35 Then 517 Jesus 518 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 519 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 520 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 521 1:39 So 522 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 523 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 524 a leper 525 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 526 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 527 Jesus 528 stretched out his hand and touched 529 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 530 sent the man 531 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 532 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 533 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 534 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 535 1:45 But as the man 536 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 537 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 538 they kept coming 539 to him from everywhere.
1:1 The beginning of the gospel 540 of Jesus Christ, 541 the Son of God. 542 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 543
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 544
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 545 his paths straight.’” 546
1:4 In the wilderness 547 John the baptizer 548 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 549 1:5 People 550 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 551 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 552 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 553 1:7 He proclaimed, 554 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 555 to bend down and untie the strap 556 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 557 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 558 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 559 1:10 And just as Jesus 560 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 561 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 562 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 563 in you I take great delight.” 564 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 565 enduring temptations from Satan. He 566 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 567
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 568 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 569 of God. 570 1:15 He 571 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 572 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 573 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 574 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 575 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 576 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 577 they went to Capernaum. 578 When the Sabbath came, 579 Jesus 580 went into the synagogue 581 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 582 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 583 not like the experts in the law. 584 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 585 and he cried out, 586 1:24 “Leave us alone, 587 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 588 of God!” 1:25 But 589 Jesus rebuked him: 590 “Silence! Come out of him!” 591 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 592 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 593 as soon as they left the synagogue, 594 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 595 they spoke to Jesus 596 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 597 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 598 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 599 But 600 he would not permit the demons to speak, 601 because they knew him. 602
1:35 Then 603 Jesus 604 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 605 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 606 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 607 1:39 So 608 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 609 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 610 a leper 611 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 612 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 613 Jesus 614 stretched out his hand and touched 615 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 616 sent the man 617 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 618 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 619 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 620 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 621 1:45 But as the man 622 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 623 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 624 they kept coming 625 to him from everywhere.
1 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
2 tn 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.
3 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
4 tn 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).
5 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
6 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
7 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
8 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
10 tn Grk “They.”
11 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
12 tn 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.
13 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
14 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
15 tn 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.
16 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
17 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
18 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
19 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
20 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
21 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
22 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
23 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
24 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
25 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
26 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
27 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
28 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
29 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
30 tc The
31 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
32 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
33 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
34 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
35 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
36 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
37 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
38 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
39 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
40 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
41 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
42 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
44 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
45 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
46 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
47 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
48 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
49 tn 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.
50 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
51 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
52 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
53 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
54 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
55 tn 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.
56 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
57 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
58 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
59 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
60 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
61 tn Or “desert.”
62 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
63 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
64 tn 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.
65 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
66 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
67 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
68 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
69 tn 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.
70 tn 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.
71 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
72 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
73 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
74 tn 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.
75 tn 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.
76 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
77 tn 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).
78 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
79 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
80 tn Grk “And he.”
81 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
82 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
83 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
84 tn 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.
85 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
86 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
87 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
88 tn 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.
89 tn 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).
90 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
91 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
92 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
93 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
94 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
95 tn Grk “They.”
96 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
97 tn 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.
98 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
99 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
100 tn 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.
101 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
102 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
103 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
104 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
105 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
106 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
107 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
108 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
109 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
110 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
111 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
112 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
113 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
114 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
115 tc The
116 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
117 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
118 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
119 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
120 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
121 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
122 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
123 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
124 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
125 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
126 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
127 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
128 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
129 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
130 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
131 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
132 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
133 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
134 tn 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.
135 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
136 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
137 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
138 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
139 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
140 tn 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.
141 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
142 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
143 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
144 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
145 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
146 tn Or “desert.”
147 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
148 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
149 tn 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.
150 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
151 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
152 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
153 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
154 tn 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.
155 tn 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.
156 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
157 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
158 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
159 tn 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.
160 tn 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.
161 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
162 tn 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).
163 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
164 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
165 tn Grk “And he.”
166 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
167 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
168 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
169 tn 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.
170 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
171 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
172 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
173 tn 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.
174 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
175 tn 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).
176 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
177 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
178 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
179 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
180 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
181 tn Grk “They.”
182 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
183 tn 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.
184 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
185 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
186 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
187 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
188 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
189 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
190 tn Or “desert.”
191 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
192 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
193 tn 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.
194 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
195 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
196 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
197 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
198 tn 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.
199 tn 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.
200 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
201 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
202 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
203 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
204 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
205 tn Grk “They.”
206 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
207 tn 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.
208 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
209 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
210 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
211 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
212 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
213 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
214 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
215 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
216 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
217 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
218 tc The
219 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
220 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
221 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
222 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
223 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
224 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
225 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
226 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
227 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
228 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
229 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
230 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
231 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
232 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
233 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
234 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
235 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
236 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
237 tn 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.
238 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
239 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
240 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
241 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
242 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
243 tn 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.
244 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
245 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
246 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
247 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
248 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
249 tn Or “desert.”
250 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
251 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
252 tn 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.
253 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
254 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
255 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
256 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
257 tn 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.
258 tn 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.
259 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
260 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
261 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
262 tn 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.
263 tn 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.
264 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
265 tn 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).
266 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
267 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
268 tn Grk “And he.”
269 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
270 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
271 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
272 tn 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.
273 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
274 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
275 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
276 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
277 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
278 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
279 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
280 tn 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.
281 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
282 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
283 tn 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.
284 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
285 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
286 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
287 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
288 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
289 tn Or “desert.”
290 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
291 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
292 tn 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.
293 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
294 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
295 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
296 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
297 tn 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.
298 tn 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.
299 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
300 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
301 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
302 tn 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.
303 tn 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.
304 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
305 tn 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).
306 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
307 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
308 tn Grk “And he.”
309 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
310 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
311 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
312 tn 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.
313 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
314 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
315 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
316 tn 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.
317 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
318 tn 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).
319 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
320 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
321 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
322 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
323 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
324 tn Grk “They.”
325 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
326 tn 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.
327 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
328 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
329 tn 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.
330 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
331 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
332 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
333 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
334 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
335 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
336 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
337 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
338 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
339 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
340 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
341 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
342 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
343 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
344 tc The
345 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
346 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
347 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
348 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
349 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
350 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
351 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
352 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
353 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
354 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
355 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
356 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
357 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
358 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
359 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
360 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
361 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
362 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
363 tn 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.
364 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
365 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
366 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
367 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
368 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
369 tn 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.
370 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
371 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
372 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
373 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
374 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
375 tn Or “desert.”
376 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
377 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
378 tn 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.
379 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
380 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
381 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
382 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
383 tn 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.
384 tn 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.
385 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
386 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
387 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
388 tn 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.
389 tn 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.
390 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
391 tn 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).
392 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
393 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
394 tn Grk “And he.”
395 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
396 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
397 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
398 tn 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.
399 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
400 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
401 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
402 tn 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.
403 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
404 tn 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).
405 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
406 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
407 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
408 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
409 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
410 tn Grk “They.”
411 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
412 tn 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.
413 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
414 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
415 tn 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.
416 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
417 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
418 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
419 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
420 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
421 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
422 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
423 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
424 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
425 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
426 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
427 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
428 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
429 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
430 tc The
431 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
432 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
433 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
434 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
435 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
436 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
437 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
438 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
439 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
440 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
441 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
442 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
443 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
444 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
445 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
446 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
447 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
448 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
449 tn 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.
450 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
451 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
452 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
453 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
454 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
455 tn 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.
456 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
457 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
458 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
459 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
460 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
461 tn Or “desert.”
462 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
463 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
464 tn 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.
465 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
466 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
467 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
468 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
469 tn 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.
470 tn 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.
471 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
472 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
473 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
474 tn 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.
475 tn 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.
476 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
477 tn 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).
478 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
479 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
480 tn Grk “And he.”
481 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
482 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
483 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
484 tn 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.
485 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
486 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
487 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
488 tn 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.
489 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
490 tn 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).
491 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
492 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
493 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
494 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
495 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
496 tn Grk “They.”
497 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
498 tn 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.
499 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
500 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
501 tn 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.
502 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
503 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
504 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
505 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
506 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
507 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
508 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
509 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
510 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
511 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
512 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
513 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
514 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
515 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
516 tc The
517 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
518 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
519 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
520 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
521 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
522 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
523 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
524 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
525 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
526 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
527 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
528 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
529 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
530 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
531 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
532 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
533 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
534 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
535 tn 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.
536 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
537 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
538 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
539 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
540 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
541 tn 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.
542 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
543 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
544 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
545 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
546 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
547 tn Or “desert.”
548 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
549 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
550 tn 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.
551 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
552 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
553 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
554 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
555 tn 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.
556 tn 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.
557 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
558 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
559 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
560 tn 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.
561 tn 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.
562 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
563 tn 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).
564 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; 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).
565 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
566 tn Grk “And he.”
567 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
568 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
569 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 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.
570 tn 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.
571 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
572 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
573 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
574 tn 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.
575 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
576 tn 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).
577 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
578 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
579 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
580 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
581 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
582 tn Grk “They.”
583 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
584 tn 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.
585 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
586 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
587 tn 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.
588 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
589 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
590 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
591 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
592 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
593 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
594 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
595 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
596 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
597 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
598 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
599 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
600 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
601 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
602 tc The
603 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
604 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
605 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
606 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
607 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
608 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
609 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
610 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
611 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
612 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
613 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
614 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
615 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
616 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
617 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
618 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
619 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
620 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
621 tn 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.
622 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
623 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
624 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
625 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.