Mark 2:18

Good News Translation

On one occasion the followers of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and asked him, "Why is it that the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. People came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

King James Version (1611)
And the disciples of Iohn, and of the Pharisees vsed to fast; and they come, and say vnto him, Why doe the disciples of Iohn, and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

King James Version
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?

English Standard Version
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 American Standard Bible
John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

New Century Version
Now the followers of John and the Pharisees often fasted for a certain time. Some people came to Jesus and said, "Why do John's followers and the followers of the Pharisees often fast, but your followers don't?"

Amplified Bible
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting [as a ritual]; and they came and asked Jesus, "Why are John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fasting, but Your disciples are not doing so?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

Legacy Standard Bible
And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they *came and *said to Him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

Berean Standard Bible
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were often fasting. So people came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't Your disciples fast like John's disciples and those of the Pharisees?"

Contemporary English Version
The followers of John the Baptist and the Pharisees often went without eating. Some people came and asked Jesus, "Why do the followers of John and those of the Pharisees often go without eating, while your disciples never do?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Also Yochanan's talmidim and the P'rushim were fasting; and they came and asked Yeshua, "Why is it that Yochanan's talmidim and the talmidim of the P'rushim fast, but your talmidim don't fast?"

Darby Translation
And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting; and they come and say to him, Why do the disciples of John and [the disciples] of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

Easy-to-Read Version
The followers of John and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and said, "John's followers fast, and the followers of the Pharisees fast. But your followers don't fast. Why?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the disciples of Iohn, and the Pharises did fast, and came and saide vnto him, Why doe the disciples of Iohn, and of the Pharises fast, and thy disciples fast not?

George Lamsa Translation
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, and your own disciples do not fast?

Lexham English Bible
And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and said to him, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

Literal Translation
And John's disciples, and those of the Pharisees, were fasting. And they came and said to Him, Why do John's disciples and those of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?

American Standard Version
And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting: and they come and say unto him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

Bible in Basic English
And John's disciples and the Pharisees were taking no food: and they came and said to him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees go without food, but your disciples do not?

Hebrew Names Version
Yochanan's talmidim and the Perushim were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do Yochanan's talmidim and the talmidim of the Perushim fast, but your talmidim don't fast?"

International Standard Version
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees would fast regularly. Some peopleThey">[fn] came and asked Jesus,him">[fn] "Why do John's disciples and the Pharisees' disciples fast, but your disciples don't fast?"Matthew 9:14; Luke 5:33;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Now the disciples of Juchanon and of the Pharishee fasted. And they came and said to him, (While) the disciples of Juchanon and of the Pharishee fast, why do not thy disciples fast ?

Murdock Translation
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasters; and they came and said to him: Why are the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fasters, and thy disciples fast not?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the disciples of Iohn, & the Pharisees dyd fast. And they come, and say vnto him: Why do ye disciples of Iohn, and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

English Revised Version
And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting: and they come and say unto him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

World English Bible
John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say to him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

Weymouth's New Testament
(Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.) And they came and asked Him, "How is it that John's disciples and those of the Pharisees are fasting, and yours are not?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the disciplis of Joon and the Farisees weren fastynge; and thei camen, and seien to hym, Whi fasten the disciplis of Joon, and the Farisees fasten, but thi disciplis fasten not?

Update Bible Version
And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting: and they come and say to him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?

Webster's Bible Translation
And the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees, used to fast: and they come, and say to him, Why do the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

New English Translation
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came to Jesus and said, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

New King James Version
Matthew 9:14-17; Luke 5:33-39">[xr] 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?"

New Living Translation
Once when John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't your disciples fast like John's disciples and the Pharisees do?"

New Life Bible
The followers of John and the proud religious law-keepers were not eating food so they could pray better. Some people came to Jesus and said, "Why do the followers of John and the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers do not?"

New Revised Standard
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?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting; and they come and say unto him - For what cause, do, the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees, fast, whereas, thy disciples, fast not?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the disciples of John and the Pharisees used to fast. And they come and say to him: Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but thy disciples do not fast?

Revised Standard Version
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?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the disciples of Iohn and the Pharises dyd faste: and therfore came and sayde vnto him. Why do ye disciples of Iohn and of the Pharises faste and thy disciples fast not.

Young's Literal Translation
And the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting, and they come and say to him, `Wherefore do the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples do not fast?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the disciples of Ihon and of ye Pharises fasted. And there came certaine, which sayde vnto him: Why fast the disciples of Ihon, and of ye Pharises, and thy disciples fast not?

Mace New Testament (1729)
It was customary for the Pharisees, and the disciples of John, to fast; they came therefore and ask'd him, why do John's disciples, and the Pharisees fast so frequently, and not your disciples?

THE MESSAGE
The disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees made a practice of fasting. Some people confronted Jesus: "Why do the followers of John and the Pharisees take on the discipline of fasting, but your followers don't?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
There was this one time that the guys who rode with John the Baptist, as well as some other goody-goody preachers, were going without food for religious reasons. All these folks came to Jesus and asked, "Why do all those who follow John, and those who follow the Pharisees, go without food in order to get closer to God, but your cowboys don't?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ On one occasion the followers of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came to Jesus and asked him, "Why is it that the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?" ¹⁹ Jesus answered, "Do you expect the guests at a wedding party to go without food? Of course not! As long as the bridegroom is with them, they will not do that. ²⁰ But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. ²¹ "No one uses a piece of new cloth to patch up an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear off some of the old cloth, making an even bigger hole. ²² Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, because the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins." ²³ Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a Sabbath. As his disciples walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of wheat. ²⁴ So the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do that on the Sabbath!" ²⁵ Jesus answered, "Have you never read what David did that time when he needed something to eat? He and his men were hungry, ²⁶ so he went into the house of God and ate the bread offered to God. This happened when Abiathar was the High Priest. According to our Law only the priests may eat this bread—but David ate it and even gave it to his men." ²⁷ And Jesus concluded, "The Sabbath was made for the good of human beings; they were not made for the Sabbath.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the disciples: Matthew 9:14-17, Luke 5:33-39

Why: Matthew 6:16, Matthew 6:18, Matthew 23:5, Luke 18:12, Romans 10:3

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came—that was the sixth day.

Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live.

Genesis 2:9
He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruit. In the middle of the garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad.

Genesis 2:11
The first river is the Pishon; it flows around the country of Havilah.

Genesis 2:12
(Pure gold is found there and also rare perfume and precious stones.)

Genesis 2:13
The second river is the Gihon; it flows around the country of Cush.

Genesis 3:12
The man answered, "The woman you put here with me gave me the fruit, and I ate it."

Ruth 3:1
Some time later Naomi said to Ruth, "I must find a husband for you, so that you will have a home of your own.

Proverbs 18:22
Find a wife and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you.

1 Corinthians 7:36
In the case of an engaged couple who have decided not to marry: if the man feels that he is not acting properly toward the young woman and if his passions are too strong and he feels that they ought to marry, then they should get married, as he wants to. There is no sin in this.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast,.... Or "were fasting"; perhaps that very day, and so were the more displeased at this entertainment, Matthew had made for Christ and his disciples, and at their being at it; or fasting was usual with them: they fasted often, both John's disciples, and the disciples of the Pharisees, or the Pharisees themselves; so the Vulgate Latin reads: of their frequent fasting, :-,

and they came: both the disciples of John, Matthew 9:14, and the Scribes and Pharisees, Luke 5:30,

and say unto him, why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? Luke 5:30- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast — See this largely explained on Matthew 9:14, c. The following vices are very common to Pharisees.

1. They are more busied in censuring the conduct of others than in rectifying their own.

2. They desire that every one should regulate his piety by theirs and embrace their particular customs and forms of devotion.

3. They speak of and compare themselves with other people, only that they may have an opportunity of distinguishing and exalting themselves.

On the nature, times, and duration of fasting, see Matthew 6:16; Matthew 9:15.