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 people were watching Jesus closely. They wanted to see whether he would heal the man on the day of rest—a holy day, so that they could accuse him of doing something wrong. 3So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand in the center ⌞of the synagogue⌟.” Then he asked them, “Is it right to do good or to do evil on the day of rest—a holy day, to give a person back his health or to let him die?” But they were silent. 5Jesus was angry as he looked around at them. He was deeply hurt because their minds were closed. Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held it out, and his hand became normal again. 6The Pharisees left, and with Herod’s followers they immediately plotted to kill Jesus.

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 2:27Then he added, “The day of rest—a holy day, was made for people, not people for the day of rest.
• Hosea 6:6I want your loyalty, not your sacrifices. I want you to know me, not to give me burnt offerings.
• Matthew 12:10A man with a paralyzed hand was there. The people asked Jesus whether it was right to heal on a day of rest—a holy day, so that they could accuse him of doing something wrong.
• Luke 6:9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you—what is the right thing to do on a day of rest—a holy day: to do good or evil, to give a person his health or to destroy it?”
• Luke 13:13He placed his hands on her, and she immediately stood up straight and praised God.
• Luke 14:1On a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. The guests were watching Jesus very closely.
• Mark 9:34They were silent. On the road they had argued about who 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