God’s Word Translation
Mark 2:23
23Once on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus was going through the grainfields. As the disciples walked along, they began to pick the heads of grain.
Mark 2:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
- New International Version (NIV)One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
- English Standard Version (ESV)One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.
Context of Mark 2:23
21“No one patches an old coat with a new piece of cloth that will shrink. Otherwise, the new patch will shrink and rip away some of the old cloth, and the tear will become worse. 22People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the wine will make the skins burst, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.” Once on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus was going through the grainfields. As the disciples walked along, they began to pick the heads of grain. 24The Pharisees asked him, “Look! Why are your disciples doing something that is not permitted on the day of rest—a holy day?” 25Jesus asked them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and his men were in need and were hungry?
Read all of Mark 2Mark 2:23 word by word
Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν παραπορεύεσθαι διὰ τῶν σπορίμων, καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἤρξαντο ὁδὸν ποιεῖν τίλλοντες τοὺς στάχυας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- it came to passγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- thatπαραπορεύομαιparaporeuomai · to pass by/throughG3899
- heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the corn fieldsσπόριμοςsporimos · grainfieldG4702
- onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the sabbath dayσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521
- disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
- as they wentὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
- to pluckποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- to pluckτίλλωtillō · to pluckG5089
- the ears of cornστάχυςstachus · head of grainG4719
Cross-references for Mark 2:23
- Matthew 12:1Then on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus walked through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain to eat.
- Luke 6:1Once, on a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus was walking through some grainfields. His disciples were picking the heads of grain, removing the husks, and eating the grain.
- Deuteronomy 23:24If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you like until you’re full. But never put any in your basket.
Commentaries on Mark 2:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Went through the corn fields - See on Matthew 12:1; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23-28Verses 23-28 See Matthew 12:1-8. The cornfields - The fields sown with wheat or barley. The word “corn,” in the Bible, refers only to grain of that kind, and never to “maize” or “Indian corn.” To pluck the ears of corn - They were hungry, Matthew 12:1. They therefore gathered the wheat or barley as they walked and rubbed it in their hands to shell it, and thus to satisfy their appetite. Though our Lord was with them, and though he had all things at his…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-28Verses 23-28 The sabbath is a sacred and Divine institution; a privilege and benefit, not a task and drudgery. God never designed it to be a burden to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. The sabbath was instituted for the good of mankind, as living in society, having many wants and troubles, preparing for a state of happiness or misery. Man was not made for the sabbath, as if his keeping it could be of service to God, nor was he commanded…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-28In this controversy, Jesus and his disciples are accused of breaking the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8–11). Picking grain by hand in another person’s field was lawful (Deuteronomy 23:25). The charge was that by rubbing the chaff from the kernels, the disciples were working on the Sabbath, which was forbidden (Exodus 34:21).Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 2:23
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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