6:7

Before you translate 6:7, you should look at the main verbs. Mark used the verbs called, send, and giving to show the process of sending out the apostles. The actions shown by these verbs are not in chronological order.

In some languages, it may be more natural to put the actions in the order in which they occurred. See the General Comment on 6:7–8a at the end of 6:8a for one way to rearrange the parts of this verse.

6:7a–b

In some languages, it will be natural to begin this verse with a general time word, as in the Berean Standard Bible. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:

Then he called together

Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as called…to Him is literally “he summons to himself.” Jesus was gathering his twelve followers around him for a special purpose.

Here are some other ways you could express this:

Then he told the twelve to gather around him, and…
-or-
He gathered the twelve around him, and…

the Twelve: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as the Twelve refers to Jesus’ twelve closest disciples. (This same phrase occurs in 4:10a.) By the time Mark wrote his gospel, people probably knew Jesus’ special group of disciples as the Twelve. However, you may need to make explicit in your translation that this expression refers to Jesus’ disciples/apostles. For example:

the twelve apostles (God’s Word)
-or-
the twelve disciples (Good News Bible)

In 6:30a, it specifically identifies these twelve men as “apostles.” So you may want to say “apostles” here as well.

began to send them out: Jesus told the twelve apostles/disciples to go out to different villages. In some languages the verb sendis only used for things, not for people. If it is not natural in your language to say that Jesus began to send them out, you may want to say that he told them to go out. Make sure that whatever word you choose refers to causing people to go somewhere, not by force but by command.

two by two: The phrase two by two means “in groups of two” or “in pairs.” Jesus did not send all twelve men together to the same place. He had them travel to different villages in groups of two men.

6:7c

giving them authority over unclean spirits: Jesus gave the twelve men authority to expel evil spirits in order to prepare them for their mission. Jesus did this before he sent them out. It may be necessary in the translation to make this clear. For example:

7bhe sent them out two by two 7cafter first giving them authority to expel evil spirits

authority over unclean spirits: The word authority refers to the right and power to do something. Jesus gave his twelve apostles the right and power to command the unclean spirits to no longer harm people. He gave them the power to command evil spirits to release people that they controlled.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the power/right to command evil spirits to leave people
-or-
authority to cast out evil spirits (New Living Translation)

Be careful not to translate this in a way that might cause readers/hearers to think that Jesus gave his apostles the power to make the unclean spirits do things for them. You can probably translate the phrase authority over unclean spirits in a similar way to “have authority to drive out demons” in 3:15.

unclean spirits: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unclean spirits refer to spirits that are evil and can control people’s actions. The phrase unclean spirits refers to the same type of spirits as the Greek terms that are often translated as “demons” and “evil spirits.”

Here are some other ways to translate unclean spirits:

• Use a general term in your language that refers to spirits that are evil and can control people.

• Use a specific term in your language that refers to a certain type of spirit. These spirits should be able to do what is described in this context. Do not use a term that refers to the spirits of dead people.

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

evil/bad spirits
-or-
unclean spirits

Be sure that an expression like “unclean spirit” does not imply that the spirit is literally dirty.

See evil spirit in the Glossary for more information.

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.