Mark 1:17

1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” ¹ 

Mark 2:5

2:5 When Jesus saw their ²  faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ³ 

Mark 5:27

5:27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ⁴ 

Mark 5:36

5:36 But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”

Mark 9:23

9:23 Then Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’ ⁵  All things are possible for the one who believes.”

Mark 10:5

10:5 But Jesus said to them, “He wrote this commandment for you because of your hard hearts. ⁶ 

Mark 10:18

10:18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? ⁷  No one is good except God alone.

Mark 14:6

14:6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me.

Mark 14:48

14:48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? ⁸ 

[1:17]  ¹ tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”

[2:5]  ² sn The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.

[2:5]  ³ sn The passive voice here is a divine passive (ExSyn 437). It is clear that God does the forgiving.

[5:27]  ³ tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.

[9:23]  ⁴ tc Most mss (A C³ Ψ 33 Ï) have τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι (to ei dunasai pisteusai, “if you are able to believe”), instead of τὸ εἰ δύνῃ (to ei dunh, “if you are able”; supported by א B C* L N* Δ Ë¹ 579 892 pc). Others have εἰ δύνῃ (or δυνάσαι) πιστεῦσαι (“if you are able to believe”; so D K Θ Ë¹³ 28 565 al), while still others have τοῦτο εἰ δύνῃ (touto ei dunh, “if you can [do] this”; so [Ì⁴⁵] W). The reading that best explains the rise of the others is τὸ εἰ δύνῃ. The neuter article indicates that the Lord is now quoting the boy’s father who, in v. 22, says εἴ τι δύνῃ (ei ti dunh, “if you are able to do anything”). The article is thus used anaphorically (see ExSyn 238). However, scribes could easily have overlooked this idiom and would consequently read τὸ εἰ δύνῃ as the protasis of a conditional clause of the Lord’s statement. As such, it would almost demand the infinitive πιστεῦσαι, producing the reading τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι (“if you are able to believe, all things are possible…”). But the article here seems to be meaningless, prompting other scribes to modify the text still further. Some dropped the nonsensical article, while others turned it into the demonstrative τοῦτο and dropped the infinitive. It is clear that scribes had difficulty with the original wording here, and made adjustments in various directions. What might not be so clear is the exact genealogy of the descent of all the readings. However, τὸ εἰ δύνῃ is both a hard saying, best explains the rise of the other readings, and is supported by the best witnesses. It thus rightly deserves to be considered authentic.

[10:5]  ⁵ tn Grk “heart” (a collective singular).

[10:18]  ⁶ sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the young man to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.

[14:48]  ⁷ tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist,” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).