Mark 2:4

2:4 When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof ¹  above Jesus. ²  Then, ³  after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on.

Mark 8:34

Following Jesus

8:34 Then ⁴  Jesus ⁵  called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to become my follower, ⁶  he must deny ⁷  himself, take up his cross, ⁸  and follow me.

[2:4]  ¹ sn A house in 1st century Palestine would have had a flat roof with stairs or a ladder going up. This access was often from the outside of the house.

[2:4]  ² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:4]  ³ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[8:34]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[8:34]  ⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:34]  ⁶ tn Grk “to follow after me.”

[8:34]  ⁷ tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.

[8:34]  ⁸ sn To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.