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King James Version
Mark 3:4
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Then he said to them, “Is it lawful
And hee saith vnto them, Is it lawfull to doe good on the Sabbath dayes, or to doe euill? to saue life, or to kill? but they held their peace.
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.
And He said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent.
Then Jesus asked the people, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath day: to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?" But they said nothing to answer him.
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.
And He said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent.
And He *said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent.
And He asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" But they were silent.
Then he asked, "On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save someone's life or destroy it?" But no one said a word.
Then to them he said, "What is permitted on Shabbat? Doing good or doing evil? Saving life or killing?" But they said nothing.
And he says to them, Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill? But they were silent.
Then Jesus asked the people, "Which is the right thing to do on the Sabbath day: to do good or to do evil? Is it right to save a life or to destroy one?" The people said nothing to answer him.
And he saide to them, Is it lawfull to doe a good deede on the Sabbath day, or to doe euil? to saue the life, or to kil? But they held their peace.
Then he said to them also, Is it lawful to do good or evil on the sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it? But they were silent.
Then he asked the people, "What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone's life or to destroy it?" But they did not say a thing.
And he said to them, "Is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.
And He said to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbaths, or to do evil? To save a soul, or to kill? But they were silent.
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
And he said to them, Is it right to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil? to give life or to put to death? But they said nothing.
He said to them, "Is it lawful on the day of Shabbat to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?" But they were silent.
Then he asked them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill it?" But they were silent.
He said also to them, Is it lawful on the shabath to do good, or (that) which (is) evil ? to save life, or to destroy it ? But they were silent.
And he said also to them: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, or to do evil? to give life to a person, or to destroy? But they were silent
And he saide vnto them: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabboth dayes, or to do euyl? to saue lyfe, or to kyll? But they helde their peace.
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?" But they were silent.
And he saith to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, or to do evil? To save life or to kill?
Then He asked them, "Are we allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? to save a life, or to destroy one?" They remained silent.
And he seith to hem, Is it leeueful to do wel in the sabatis, ether yuel? to make a soul saaf, ether to leese? And thei weren stille.
And he says to them, Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
And he saith to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? but they held their peace.
Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?" But they were silent.
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.
Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him.
Then Jesus said to the proud religious law-keepers, "Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad, to save life or to kill?" But they said nothing.
Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.
and saith unto them - Is it allowed, on the Sabbath, to do good, or to do evil? To, save, life, or, to slay? but they remained silent.
And he saith to them: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy? But they held their peace.
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.
And he sayd to them: whether is it laufull to do a good dede on ye Saboth dayes or an evyll? to save life or kyll? But they helde their peace.
And he saith to them, `Is it lawful on the sabbaths to do good, or to do evil? life to save, or to kill?' but they were silent.
And he sayde vnto the: Is it laufull to do good on the Sabbath? Or is it laufull to do euell? to saue life, or to kyll? But they helde their tonge.
and he ask'd them, is it allowed to do good, or to do mischief on the sabbath-days? to save life, or to kill? but they were very silent.
Then he spoke to the people: "What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?" No one said a word.
Then Jesus turned to all the scowling preachers and said, "Is it against the Law to do something good for someone who is in a bad way?" They sat there and didn't say a word.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Is it: Mark 2:27, Mark 2:28, Hosea 6:6, Matthew 12:10-12, Luke 6:9, Luke 13:13-17, Luke 14:1-5
But: Mark 9:34
Reciprocal: Matthew 12:12 - it is Luke 14:3 - Is John 5:10 - it is not John 7:19 - Why Galatians 6:10 - do good
Cross-References
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
Now therefore thus saith the Lord , Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord , Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord , Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die.
He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he saith unto them,.... Either to the whole multitude, to all the assembly in the synagogue; and so the Persic version renders it, "again he said to the multitude"; or rather, to the Scribes and Pharisees, who were watching him, and had put a question to him, which he answers by another:
is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil, to save life, or to kill? The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, or "to destroy", as in Luke 6:9, To do evil, kill, or destroy, are not lawful at any time; and to do good, and to save life, must be right at all times: our Lord has a particular view to the Scribes and Pharisees, and the question is put home to their own consciences; whose hearts and thoughts, designs and views, were all open to Christ; and who were now watching to do evil to him, and even to destroy and take away his life: for the violation of the sabbath was death by the law, and this was what they sought to accuse him of: now he puts the question to them, and makes them judges which must appear most right and just in the sight of God and men, for him to heal this poor man of his withered hand, though on the sabbath day; which would be doing a good and beneficent action to him, whereby his life would be saved, and preserved with comfort and usefulness, and he would be in a capacity of getting his livelihood; or for them to cherish an evil intention against him, to seek to bring mischief on him; and not only destroy his character and usefulness as much as in them lay, but even take away his very life also: he leaves it with them to consider of which was most agreeable to the law of God, the nature of a sabbath, and the good of mankind;
but they held their peace; or "were silent", not being able to return an answer, but what must have been in his favour, and to their own confusion, and therefore chose to say nothing.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
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 manâs 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 - whether it was better for him, having the power to heal this man, to do it, or to suffer him to remain in this suffering condition; and he illustrates it by an example, showing that in a manner of much less importance - that respecting their cattle - they would do on the Sabbath just as âheâ would if he should heal this man. The same remark may apply to all opportunities of doing good. âThe ability to do good imposes an obligation to do itâ (Cotton Mather) He that has the means of feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked, and instructing the ignorant, and sending the gospel to the destitute, and that does it not, is guilty, for he is practically doing evil; he is suffering evils to exist which he might remove. So the wicked will be condemned in the day of judgment because âthey did it not,â Matthew 25:45. If this is true, what an obligation rests upon the rich to do good!
Mark 3:5
With anger - With a severe and stern countenance; with indignation at their hypocrisy and hardness of heart. This was not, however, a spiteful or revengeful passion; it was caused by excessive âgriefâ at their state: âbeing grieved for the hardness of their hearts.â It was not hatred of the âmenâ whose hearts were so hard; it was hatred of the sin which they exhibited, joined with the extreme grief that neither his teaching nor the law of God, nor any means which could be used, overcame their confirmed wickedness. Such anger is not unlawful, Ephesians 4:26. However, in this instance, our Lord has taught us that anger is never lawful except when it is tempered with grief or compassion for those who have offended.
Hardness of their hearts - The heart, figuratively the seat of feeling or affection, is said to be tender when it is easily affected by the sufferings of others - by our own sin and danger - by the love and commands of God; when we are easily made to feel on the great subjects pertaining to our interest, Ezekiel 11:19-20. It is hard when nothing moves it; when a man is alike insensible to the sufferings of others, to the dangers of his own condition, and to the commands, the love, and the threatenings of God. It is most tender in youth, or when we have committed fewest crimes. It is made hard by indulgence in sin, by long resisting the offers of salvation, or by opposing any great and affecting appeals which God may make to us by his Spirit or providence, by affliction, or by a revival of religion. Hence, it is that the most favorable period for securing an interest in Christ, or for becoming a Christian, is in youth the first, the tenderest, and the best days of life. Nay, in the days of childhood, in the Sabbath-school, God may be found, and the soul prepared to die.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Mark 3:4. To 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 αÏοκÏειναι, several MSS. and versions have αÏολεÏαι to destroy. Wetstein and Griesbach quote Theophylact for this reading; but it is not in my copy. Paris edit. 1635.
