Markus 4:3

4:3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ¹ 

Markus 6:31-32

6:31 He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat). 6:32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place.

Markus 6:44

6:44 Now ²  there were five thousand men ³  who ate the bread. ⁴ 

Markus 7:24

A Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

7:24 After Jesus ⁵  left there, he went to the region of Tyre. ⁶  When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know, but ⁷  he was not able to escape notice.

Markus 11:13

11:13 After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit ⁸  on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

Markus 12:26

12:26 Now as for the dead being raised, ⁹  have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, ¹⁰  how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the ¹¹  God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ¹² 

[4:3]  ¹ sn A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable, drawn from a typical scene in the Palestinian countryside, is a field through which a well worn path runs. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots (Isa 55:10-11). The point of the parable of the sower is to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God (cf. 4:11).

[6:44]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.

[6:44]  ³ tn The Greek word here is ἀνήρ, meaning “adult male” (BDAG 79 s.v. 1). According to Matt 14:21, Jesus fed not only five thousand men, but also an unspecified number of women and children.

[6:44]  ⁴ tc Many good mss (Ì⁴⁵ א D W Θ Ë^1,13 28 565 700 2542 lat sa) lack τοὺς ἄρτους (tous artous, lit. “the loaves” [here translated “the bread”]). On the other hand, just as weighty mss (A B L 33 2427 Ï) have the words. Although a decision is not easy, the most satisfactory explanation seems to be that scribes were more prone to delete than to add the words here. They may have been puzzled as to why “the bread” should be mentioned without a corresponding mention of “fish.” Since neither Matt 14:21 or Luke 9:17 explicitly mention the bread, a desire for harmonization may have motivated the copyists as well. On the other hand, D and W are prone to longer, explanatory readings. Since they both lack the words here, it is likely that their archetypes also lacked the words. But given Mark’s pleonastic style, the good witnesses with “the bread,” and a reasonable explanation for the omission, “the bread” is most likely part of the original text of Mark.

[7:24]  ⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:24]  ⁶ tc Most mss, including early and important witnesses (א A B Ë^1,13 33 2427 Ï lat), have here καὶ Σιδῶνος (kai Sidwno", “and Sidon”). The Western text, as well as several other important mss (D L W Δ Θ 28 565 it), lack the words. Although the external evidence is on the side of inclusion, it is difficult to explain why scribes would omit the mention of Sidon. On the other hand, the parallels in v. 31 and Matt 15:21 would be sufficient motivation for scribes to add Sidon here. Furthermore, every other mention of Tyre in the Gospels is accompanied by Sidon, putting pressure on scribes to conform this text as well. The shorter reading therefore, though without compelling external evidence on its side, is strongly supported by internal evidence, rendering judgment on its authenticity fairly certain.

[7:24]  map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[7:24]  ⁷ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[11:13]  ⁸ tn Grk “anything.”

[12:26]  ⁹ tn Grk “Now as for the dead that they are raised.”

[12:26]  ¹⁰ sn See Exod 3:6. Jesus used a common form of rabbinic citation here to refer to the passage in question.

[12:26]  ¹¹ tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[12:26]  ¹² sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.