Mar 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when you depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Alternative: And as many will not welcome you or even hear you, march on, shaking off the residue under your feet as the evidence of it. I tell you truly that it shall be more bearable in Sodom and Gomorrah in days of trial than that city.

Christ uses the word translated as "receive" here exclusively in verses referring to being welcomed by people. The word "hear" means the physical sense of hearing sounds, not necessarily listening or understanding words. The words translated as "depart" is not the word translated in the previous verse as "depart" but a different word that has more the sense of "marching out." The phrase "against them" is from a word that is simply a reflexive pronoun. Christ uses the term translated as "testimony" more like our idea of legal evidence. The word translated as "judgment" is "krisis" which means a trial or choice.

In English, this comes across as a threat and a condemnation. In spending some time with the words in Greek, it feels more like comfort and sadness. For those who are going to be rejected, it is comfort. It tells us to simply put the rejection behind us. We must march on. We shake off the residue of it, symbolically leaving the evidence behind us. We shouldn't expect to be welcomed or even physically heard. For those who reject us, it comes across as sadness. Everyone has a time of trial and these people will have less to fall back upon than those who die a quick death.

"Whosover" is from hosos (hosos), which means "as many," "as much as," "as great as," "as far as," and "only so far as."

"Receive" is from dechomai, (dechomai) which means "welcome," "accept," and "entertain" when applied to people. (It means "take," "accept," and "receive" when applied to things.)

"Hear" is from akouô (akouo), which means "hear of," "hear tell of," "what one actually hears," "know by hearsay," "listen to," "give ear to," "hear and understand," and "understand."

"Depart" is from ekporeuô (ekporeuomai), which means "to make to go out," "to fetch out," and "to march out."

"Shake" is from ektinassô (ektinasso), which means "to shake out," "to expel," "to shake off," and "to search thoroughly."

"Dust" is from chnoos (choos), which means "powder," "fine down," "dust," "any light porous substance," "the foam on the edge of the sea," and "chaff."

"Testimony" is from marturion (marturion), which means "testimony" and "proof."

"Against them" is from autos (autos), which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of ones own accord."

"More tolerable" is anektoteros (the "more" version of anektos), which "bearable," "sufferable," "that which can be endured," or "tolerable."

"Judgment" is from krisis (krisis), which means "separating," "distinguishing," "judgment," "choice," "election," "trial," "dispute," "event," and "issue."

Mar 6:10 In what place soever you enter into an house, there abide until you depart from that place.
Alternative: Anywhere you enter into a group relationship, keep with it until you advance from where you are.

There is a subtle play on words here between the term used for "enter" and "depart." The term for "enter" doesn't only means to physically enter into a place, but to enter an new role or new station. The for for "depart" also means to come out of one class and into another with the sense of dreams coming true or roles coming to an end.

The term for "house" means not only a physical house, but any clan or group association.

The general sense is very consistent with Christ's general theme of our group relationships and how seriously we must take them. Christ started this chapter with the idea that a prophet is not seen as anything special in his or her original family. This verse moves that idea forward. As we move on in life, we will be accepted into new groups and families. We must take those relationships seriously, but with the sense that we will also someday be moving on. Of course, as young people, we move from group to group until we find our place in the world. However, even when we find our place, we are eventually moving on from life itself.


"In what place soever" is from hopou (hopou), which means "somewhere," "anywhere," "wherever," "anywheresoever" and "where."

"Enter" is from eiserchomai (eiserchomai)which means both "to go into," "to come in," "to enter," "to enter an office," "to enter a charge," (as in court) and "to come into one's mind."

"House" is oikia, which means "house," "building," and "household." It was also the term that was used to describe a family or clan and the people associated with that family or clan, such as their servants and slaves.

"Abide" is from menô (meno), which means "to stay," "to wait," "to stand fast [in battle]," "to stay at home," "to remain," "to expect," and "to wait for."

"Depart" is from exerchomai (exerchomai) which means "to come or go out of, " "to come out," "to withdraw from a country," "to come out of one class to another," "to be proven to be," [of time]" to come to an end," and [of dreams] "to come true."

"Place" is from ekeithen (ekeithen), which means "from that place," "thence," "from that fact," and "thenceforward."

Mar 6:4 A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Alternative: A prophet is not worthless except among his father's [people], his kin, and his family.

The construction of the first phrase here is a repetition of three negatives ideas, both in Greek and English (not, without, but/except). It is then followed by three words than also have a very similar meanings, all indicating people with whom you have a blood relationship. The word translated as "country" means "of one's father" which can mean "fatherland" but it doesn't actually mean country.

As we have seen repeatedly, Christ uses the pattern of three to refer to our three temporal states of the physical, mental, and emotional. Though the idea of family usually relates directly to emotional relationships, this is one of several places where Christ takes one aspect of these three, in this case the emotional, and says that it too has its own physical, mental, and emotional dimensions.

In the Greek, it is much clearer that Christ is not referring to a prophet receiving honor or praised from others. The term translated as "without honor" literally means "without value." Christ is saying that because a prophet's family doesn't value the prophet's words, they can get no value from those words.

Giving value is required in order to receive value. The physical, intellectual, and emotional familiarity of family make it impossible to get physical, intellectual, and emotional values from the ideas of a prophet. They are too close to see that value.

"Prophet" is from prophêtês (prophetes), which means "one who speaks for a god and interprets his will," "interpreter," "keepers of the oracle," the highest level of priesthood in Egypt," "interpreter," and "herald."

"Without honor" is from atimos (atimos), which means "dishonored," "unhonored," "not deemed worthy," "deprived of civic rights," and "without value." It is the negative of timos which means having a set value.

"Country" is from patris (patris), which means "of one's father's" and "ones fatherland," and "country."

"Kin" is from sungenês (suggenes), which means "inborn," "character," "natural,""of the same family," "kinsfolk," "kindred," and "akin." This word is not used in Matthew, appears in Mark only here, and twice in Luke, though in different verses.

"House" is from oikia (oikia), which means "building," "house," "family," and "household."

Mar 5:41 Talitha cumi; Damsel, I say unto you, arise.

The difference between the Aramaic and the Greek here gives us some insight into viewpoint of those that wrote the Gospels. The Aramaic says simply, "Little lamb, arise." The Greek adds a flourish, "Little girl, I say to you arise." This means that the Gospel writers, as you might expect, added gravitas to Christ's words, which were, at least in this example, very simple and sensitivity.

What I find most interesting about this verse, however, is that the author makes an issue of Christ speaking Aramaic. He quotes Christ's words first in Aramaic and then offers a Greek approximation, making clear he is approximating the idea. If Christ always taught in Aramaic, why would Christ's use of Aramaic be remarkable? Why make the point that the Greek was only an interpretation of the Greek?

Much of the wordplay and meaning of Christ's words only makes sense in Greek. While the standard view is that Christ spoke Aramaic, verses such as this seem to indicate that his use of Aramaic was the exception rather than the rule.

I am simply a translator doing research. I make no claims of special knowledge. My role, at least as I see it, is to bear witness to what is in the words and nothing more. My readers can draw their own conclusions.

"Damsel" is from the Greek korasion (korasion), which means "little girl" and "maiden."

"Say" is from legô, which means "to gather," "to pick up," "to count," "to tell," "to recount," "to say," "to speak," and "to call by name." It means speaking, but in the sense of connecting things together, enumerating things, recounting things.'

"Arise" is from egeirô (egeiro), which means "to awake," "to rouse," "to stir up" and "to wake up."

Mar 5:36 Be not afraid, only believe.
Alternative: Fear not, only believe.

Christ sees fear as the opposite of belief. Fear is usually seen as the emotion reaction to the unknown. In all of Christ's words, fear is always the failure of believing in God, his rules, and plan. Christ understood human fear, but consistently says that it is not necessary. There is nothing to fear in life, not even death. Fear comes from belief in what we see rather than the word of God.

The hard thing is to "only" believe, but the Greek word for "only" has an additional meaning that we don't have in English. It means "one above all others," so belief only has to be the foremost of our feelings. So, while we can have many conflicting feelings, the goal is to put our feeling of faith in God above all the others.

This isn't the only time that Christ uses the term for "belief" with the term for "only." He did it in Mat 21:21 describing his power to wither a fig tree. When believe can become the strongest of our feelings, miracles become possible. We also see the word for "only" in Luk 8:50, which is another version of this same story. This is therefore another example of how two Gospel writers pick the same rarely used word to describe the same event. From this, I deduce that this exact word is important.

UPDATE: Fear not, only believe. Just read this post while I was thinking about how the sun has been cooling during a period when people fear global warming. What if God set is up the universe so as we create more greenhouse gas while transitioning to future technologies, the sun grows cooler to protect us.

"Afraid" is from phobeô (phobeo), which means "to be put to flight," "to fear," and "to be afraid."

"Only" is from monôs (monon), which means "alone," "solitary," "only," "one above all others," "made in one piece," "single," and "unique."

"Believe" is from pisteuô (pisteuo), which means "to trust, put faith in, or rely on a person," "to believe in someone's words," "to comply," "to feel confident in a thing," and "to entrust in a thing."

Mar 5:34 Daughter, your faith has made you whole; go in peace, and be whole of your plague.
Alternative: Daughter, your faith has kept you alive, go away in tranquility and be healthy of your scourge.

The word that is translated as "made you whole" actually doesn't mean being cured of a disease. It means preserving or saving from death or keeping alive. It is usually translated as "save" in the Gospels but the meaning is specific to being saved from death or destruction.

So Christ is not saying that faith cures us of ills but that it preserves us through times of troubles. It was Christ's power that cures.

"Daughter" is the Greek, thugatêr (thugater), which means "daughter" or more generally a female descendant, later, it was used for "maidservant."

"Faith" is from pistis (pistis), which means "confidence," "assurance," "trustworthiness," "credit," "a trust," and "that which give confidence."


"Has made whole" is from sôizô (sozo), which means "save from death," "keep alive," "keep safe," "preserve," "maintain," "keep in mind," "carry off safely," and "rescue."

"Go" is from hupagô (hupago), which means "to lead under," "to bring under," "to bring a person before judgment," "to lead on by degrees," "to take away from beneath," "to withdraw," "to go away," "to retire," "to draw off," and "off with you."

"Peace" is eirênê (eirene), which means "time of peace," "peace," "tranquility," and "harmony." It is the name for the goddess of peace. In Hebrew, the word for peace was used in salutations and as an inquiry as to one's health.

"Whole" is from hugiês (hugies), which means "sound [in body]," "healthy," "safe and sound," "sound in mind," "virtuous," and "in good condition."

"Plague" is from mastix (mastix), which means a "whip," "lash," or a "scourge." It is used metaphorically to mean a plague of disease or of war.