1 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
2 sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.
3 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
4 tn Grk “all the sins and blasphemies they may speak will be forgiven the sons of men.”
5 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
7 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
8 tn Grk “in [the] name that of Christ you are.”
9 tn Or “bear the Messiah’s”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
9 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
10 sn On receive see John 1:12.
11 sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.
12 tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.
11 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
13 tn Grk “while they were reclined at the table.”
14 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
15 tn Or “will hand me over”; Grk “one of you will betray me, the one who eats with me.”
15 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
17 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
18 tn The Greek negative here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is the strongest possible.
19 tn Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
20 sn Several suggestions have been made as to the referent for the phrase the kingdom of God come with power: (1) the transfiguration itself, which immediately follows in the narrative; (2) Jesus’ resurrection and ascension; (3) the coming of the Spirit; (4) Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of the kingdom. The reference to after six days in 9:2 seems to indicate that Mark had the transfiguration in mind insofar as it was a substantial prefiguring of the consummation of the kingdom (although this interpretation is not without its problems). As such, the transfiguration was a tremendous confirmation to the disciples that even though Jesus had just finished speaking of his death (8:31; 9:31; 10:33), he was nonetheless the promised Messiah and things were proceeding according to God’s plan.
19 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
21 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
22 tn See the note on the term “offering box” in v. 41.
23 sn Has put more into the offering box than all the others. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.
23 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
24 tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).
25 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”