Mark 2:18

Mark 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
• New International Version (NIV)Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

Context of Mark 2:18

16Some teachers of God's Law who were Pharisees saw what was happening. They said to Jesus' disciples, ‘He is eating with bad people and men who take taxes. That is not right.’ 17Jesus heard what these people were saying. He said to them, ‘People who are well do not need a doctor. It is people who are ill that need a doctor. Some people think that they always obey God. I did not come to help people like that. Some people know that they have done wrong things. I am asking those people to come to me for help.’ At this time, the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and they asked him this question: ‘The disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees often fast for a time. So why do your disciples never do that?’ 19Jesus answered them, ‘When a man marries, his friends cannot refuse to eat. They cannot fast while he is with them. 20But there will be a time when people will take the man away from his friends. At that time his friends will fast.’

Mark 2:18 word by word

Καὶ ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύοντες καὶ ἔρχονται καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· διὰ τί οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ τῶν Φαρισαίων νηστεύουσιν, οἱ δὲ σοὶ μαθηταὶ οὐ νηστεύουσιν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• of JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• of the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• usedεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• to fastνηστεύωnēsteuō · to fastG3522
• they comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Whyδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• butδέde · thenG1161
• thyσόςsos · yourG4674
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Mark 2:18

• Matthew 9:14Then the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus. They said to him, ‘We often decide to fast for a time. The disciples of the Pharisees also do that. Why do your disciples never do that?’
• Luke 5:33Then the Jewish leaders said to Jesus: ‘The disciples of John the Baptist often choose to fast for a time. Then they can pray to God a lot. The disciples of the Pharisees also do that. But your disciples never do that. They continue to eat and drink every day.’
• Matthew 6:16Jesus then said, ‘You may decide to fast for some time. But do not look sad so that people know you are doing a special thing. Hypocrites want people to see how good they are. They make their faces dirty. Then other people can see that they are fasting. I tell you this: people have praised them and that is the only gift that they will get.
• Matthew 23:5The Pharisees do things only so that people will see them. They wear little boxes with words from the Bible in them, but they make them really big. They also make the tassels on their clothes very long.
• Luke 18:12I fast for two days of each week. I give to you one tenth of all the things and money that I receive.”
• Romans 10:3They have not understood the way that God accepts people. Instead, they tried to make their own way to become right with God. They refused to accept God's way that would make them right with him.

Commentaries on Mark 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast - See this largely explained on Matthew 9:14; (note), etc. The following vices are very common to Pharisees. They are more busied in censuring the conduct of others than in rectifying their own. They desire that every one should regulate his piety by theirs; and embrace their particular customs and forms of devotion. They speak of and compare themselves with other people, only that they may have an…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast - Were accustomed often to fast. Compare Luke 5:33; Luke 18:12. And they come and say - The disciples of John come, Matthew 9:4.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Strict professors are apt to blame all that do not fully come up to their own views. Christ did not escape slanders; we should be willing to bear them, as well as careful not to deserve them; but should attend to every part of our duty in its proper order and season.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-22This controversy deals with fasting, which Jesus did not practice with his disciples. The Pharisees regularly fasted two days a week, on Mondays and Thursdays (Luke 18:12). Jews often fasted when mourning or specially seeking the Lord's favor (Leviticus 16:29–31; 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12; 12:21–23; Ezra 8:23; Esther 4:3; Matthew 6:16).Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 2:18

• Fasting
• Jesus, the Christ

In the dictionaries

• Blaspheme
• Blasphemy
• Press
• Abstinence
• Disciple
• Feasts and Fasts
• Joy
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Salvation
• Washing of Feet

Commentaries on Mark 2

• 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