Mark 3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 3
A Man with a Withered Hand.[a] 1 Again, Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched him closely to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him.
3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 Then he said to the onlookers, “Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they offered no reply. 5 Looking at them with anger, he was saddened at the hardness of their hearts, and he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately began to plot with the Herodians how they might put him to death.
The Disciples Bear Witness to the Kingdom of God[b]
Summary of the Activity of Jesus.[c] 7 Thereupon Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeshore, and a great multitude of people from Galilee followed him. 8 In addition, having heard of all he was doing, large numbers also came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region of Tyre and Sidon.[d]
9 He instructed his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so that he would not be crushed by the crowds. 10 For he had healed so many that all who were afflicted in any way came crowding around to touch him. 11 And whenever unclean spirits saw him, they would fall at his feet and shout, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he strictly ordered them not to make him known.
13 Jesus Establishes the Group of the Disciples.[e] Jesus then went up onto the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 [f]He appointed twelve—whom he also named apostles—[g]that they might be his companions and that he might send them out to proclaim the message, 15 with the authority to drive out demons. 16 The twelve he appointed were: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”;[h] 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Contrasting Reactions to the Person of Jesus[i]
20 The Concern of Jesus’ Relatives.[j] Jesus then returned home,[k] and once again such a great crowd collected around them that they did not even find it possible to eat. 21 When his relatives heard about this, they went out to take charge of him, saying, “He has gone out of his mind.”
22 The Blasphemy of the Scribes.[l] Meanwhile, the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” 23 Summoning them to him, he spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot survive. 25 And if a household is divided against itself, that household will not be able to survive. 26 If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot survive; he is doomed.
27 “But no one can break into a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can ransack the house.
28 “Amen, I say to you, all sins that people commit and whatever blasphemies they utter will be forgiven. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 He said this because they had claimed he was possessed by an unclean spirit.
31 The True Family of Jesus.[m] Then his mother and his brethren arrived, and, standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they said, “Behold, your mother and your brethren are outside asking for you.” 33 He replied, “Who are my mother and my brethren?” 34 Then, looking around at those who were near him, he said: “Behold, my mother and my brethren. 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Footnotes
- Mark 3:1 See note on Mt 12:9-14.
- Mark 3:7 This is the second period in the first half of the Gospel. A group of disciples has been formed; to these men who are really listening to him Jesus explains his message of the coming kingdom.
- Mark 3:7 Mark begins this second section with a summary of the activity of Jesus.
- Mark 3:8 This verse demonstrates Jesus’ great popularity with people from all of Israel as well as its surrounding neighbors. Mark recounts Jesus’ work in all the regions mentioned except Idumea: Galilee (1:14), the region beyond the Jordan (5:1; 10:1), Tyre and Sidon (7:24, 31), Judea (10:1), and Jerusalem (11:11). Idumea: the Greek form of the Hebrew “Edom”; but here it refers to an area in western Palestine south of Judea rather than the earlier Edomite territory.
- Mark 3:13 Among those who listened to Jesus there was a group that included women and 72 men who were later sent on mission (see Lk 10:17). Following the Ascension, the group had swelled to 120 believers who waited in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15). From such followers, Jesus here chooses 12 to be apostles (those given a special commission).
- Mark 3:14 Lists of the apostles are also found in Mt 1:2-4; Lk 6:12-16; and Acts 1:13. The order in which the names are given varies, but Peter always comes first and Judas is always placed at the end.
- Mark 3:14 Whom he also named apostles: missing in some manuscripts.
- Mark 3:17 Sons of Thunder: the Aramaic nickname emphasizes the fiery character of the two brothers.
- Mark 3:20 In these verses, which are peculiar to Mark’s Gospel, the author highlights contrasting reactions to the person of Jesus. The crowds search him out. His relatives think he is out of his mind and understand nothing about his mission; they want to take him by force and bring him back to his own town.
- Mark 3:20 The foundation of the eschatological community is followed by this passage, which recounts the failure to comprehend even on the part of relatives and above all the hostile refusal of the leaders of Judaism to accept him.
- Mark 3:20 Home: i.e., Matthew’s house (see Mt 2:15).
- Mark 3:22 See notes on Mt 12:22-32 and 12:32.
- Mark 3:31 See notes on Mt 12:46-50 and 12:47.
Mark 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Man with the Paralyzed Hand
3 Now(A) He entered the synagogue(B) again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed(C) hand. 2 In order to accuse(D) Him, they were watching Him closely(E) to see whether He would heal(F) him on the Sabbath.(G) 3 He told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand before us.”[a] 4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful(H) on the Sabbath to do what is good(I) or to do what is evil,(J) to save life(K) or to kill?”(L) But they were silent.(M) 5 After looking around at them with anger(N) and sorrow at the hardness(O) of their hearts, He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.(P) 6 Immediately the Pharisees(Q) went out and started plotting(R) with the Herodians(S) against Him, how they might destroy(T) Him.
Ministering to the Multitude
7 Jesus(U) departed with His disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed from Galilee,(V) Judea,(W) 8 Jerusalem,(X) Idumea, beyond the Jordan,(Y) and around Tyre(Z) and Sidon.(AA) The large crowd came to Him because they heard about everything He was doing. 9 Then He told His disciples to have a small boat(AB) ready for Him, so the crowd would not crush Him. 10 Since He had healed(AC) many, all who had diseases were pressing toward Him to touch(AD) Him. 11 Whenever the unclean(AE) spirits(AF) saw Him, those possessed fell down(AG) before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”(AH) 12 And He would strongly warn(AI) them not to make Him known.(AJ)
The 12 Apostles
13 Then(AK) He went up the mountain(AL) and summoned those He wanted, and they came to Him. 14 He also appointed 12—He also named them apostles[b](AM)—to be with Him, to send them out to preach,(AN) 15 and to have authority to[c] drive out demons.
16 He appointed the Twelve:[d](AO)
To Simon,(AP) He gave the name Peter;(AQ)
17 and to James(AR) the son of Zebedee,(AS)
and to his brother John,(AT)
He gave the name “Boanerges”
(that is, “Sons of Thunder”(AU));
18 Andrew;(AV)
Philip(AW) and Bartholomew;
Matthew(AX) and Thomas;(AY)
James the son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus;
Simon the Zealot,[e]
19 and Judas Iscariot,[f](AZ)
who also betrayed Him.
A House Divided
20 Then He went home, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat.[g] 21 When His family(BA) heard this, they set out to restrain Him, because they said, “He’s out of His mind.”(BB)
22 The scribes(BC) who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul(BD) in Him!” and, “He drives out(BE) demons(BF) by the ruler(BG) of the demons!”(BH)
23 So He summoned(BI) them and spoke to them in parables:(BJ) “How can Satan(BK) drive out Satan?(BL) 24 If a kingdom(BM) is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished![h]
27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man’s house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up(BN) the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins[i] and whatever blasphemies(BO) they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes(BP) against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness,(BQ) but is guilty(BR) of an eternal sin”[j](BS)— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”(BT)
True Relationships
31 Then(BU) His mother(BV) and His brothers(BW) came, and standing outside, they sent word to Him and called Him. 32 A crowd was sitting around Him and told Him, “Look, Your mother, Your brothers,(BX) and Your sisters[k] are outside asking for You.”
33 He replied to them, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!(BY) 35 Whoever does the will of God(BZ) is My brother and sister and mother.”
Footnotes
- Mark 3:3 Lit Rise up in the middle
- Mark 3:14 Other mss omit He also named them apostles
- Mark 3:15 Other mss add heal diseases, and to
- Mark 3:16 Other mss omit He appointed the Twelve
- Mark 3:18 Lit the Cananaean
- Mark 3:19 Iscariot is probably “a man of Kerioth,” a town in Judea.
- Mark 3:20 Or eat a meal; lit eat bread
- Mark 3:26 Lit but he has an end
- Mark 3:28 Lit All things will be forgiven the sons of men
- Mark 3:29 Other mss read is subject to eternal judgment
- Mark 3:32 Other mss omit and Your sisters
Mark 3
King James Version
3 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,
8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.
13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;
17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.
20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
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