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Gospels · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Mark 3

A fast-moving account of Jesus' authority, suffering service, cross, and resurrection.

New Testament

Mark 3

1He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there whose hand was withered.

2They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.

3He said to the man whose hand was withered, “Stand up.”

4He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good or to do harm? To save a life or to kill?” But they were silent.

5When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.

6The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

7Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,

8from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.

9He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.

10For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.

11The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him and cried, “You are the Son of God!”

12He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.

13He went up into the mountain and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.

14He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach

15and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

16Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

17James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder);

18Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;

19and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.

20The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

21When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him; for they said, “He is insane.”

22The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”

23He summoned them and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?

24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.

27But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house.

28“Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;

29but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

30—because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

31His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.

32A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”

33He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

34Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!

35For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

A fast-moving account of Jesus' authority, suffering service, cross, and resurrection. Read Mark 3 within the complete Mark overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Mark 3

Mark 3 contains 35 verses and about 604 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there whose hand was withered.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 35 closes: “For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include might, around, house, mother, hand, stand. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Mark 3

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Mark 3:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer