Mark 3:4

Mark 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.

Context of Mark 3:4

2The Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him [in the Jewish high court]. 3He said to the man whose hand was withered, “Get up and come forward!” He asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5After looking around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness and arrogance of their hearts, He told the man, “Hold out your hand.” And he held it out, and his hand was [completely] restored. 6Then the Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians [to plot] against Him, as to how they might [fabricate some legal grounds to] put Him to death.

Mark 3:4 word by word

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀποκτεῖναι; οἱ δὲ ἐσιώπων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Is it lawfulἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• to do goodἀγαθοποιέωagathopoieō · to do goodG15
• on the sabbath daysσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521
• orἤē · orG2228
• to do evilκακοποιέωkakopoieō · to do evil/harmG2554
• to saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• lifeψυχήpsuchē · soul: lifeG5590
• to killἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• they held their peaceσιωπάωsiōpaō · be quietG4623

Cross-references for Mark 3:4

• Mark 2:27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
• Hosea 6:6For I desire and delight in [steadfast] loyalty [faithfulness in the covenant relationship], rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
• Matthew 12:10A man was there whose hand was withered. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful and permissible to heal on the Sabbath?”—they asked this so that they might accuse Him and bring charges into court.
• Luke 6:9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you directly: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?”
• Luke 13:13Then He laid His hands on her; and immediately she stood erect again and she began glorifying and praising God.
• Luke 14:1It happened one Sabbath, when He went for a meal at the house of one of the ruling Pharisees, that they were watching Him closely and carefully [hoping to entrap Him].
• Mark 9:34But they kept quiet, because on the road they had discussed and debated with one another which one [of them] was the greatest.

Commentaries on Mark 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4To do good - or - evil? to save life, or to kill? - It was a maxim with the Jews, as it should be with all men, that he who neglected to preserve life when it was in his power, was to be reputed a murderer. Every principle of sound justice requires that he should be considered in this light. But, if this be the case, how many murderers are there against whom there is no law but the law of God! To kill - but instead of , several MSS. and versions have to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-5Verses 1-5 See this explained in Matthew 12:9-13. Mark 3:4 Or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? - It seems to have been a maxim with the Jews that not to do good when we have an opportunity is to do evil; not to save life is to kill or to be guilty of murder. If a man has an opportunity of saving a man‘s life when he is in danger, and does not do it, he is evidently guilty of his death. On this principle our Saviour puts this question to the Jews…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Jesus challenged his enemies' belief that God did not allow doing good works on the Sabbath (see Luke 13:10–17). to save life or to destroy it: This might refer to an incident in which the Maccabees decided to fight if attacked on the Sabbath (1 Maccabees 2:32–41). These great Jewish heroes were willing to kill on the Sabbath day. But the Pharisees did not allow good works on that day. The question Jesus asked embarrassed them. It shamed them into…Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 3:4

• Capernaum
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Blaspheme
• Ordain
• Surname
• Thunder
• Virtue
• Whole
• Good
• Jesus Christ
• Lawful
• Mark, the Gospel According to

Commentaries on Mark 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings