Text:

After dōdeka ‘twelve’ Westcott and Hort add hous kai apostolous ōnomasen ‘whom he also called apostles’: the great majority of the modern editions of the Greek text reject this clause (cf. Swete’s arguments, however, for its inclusion).

Verse 15. After exousian ‘authority’ Textus Receptus adds therapeuein tas nosous kai ‘to heal the sicknesses and’: this reading is rejected by all modern editions of the Greek text.

Exegesis:

epoiēsen dōdeka ‘he appointed twelve’: for this use of poieō ‘do,’ ‘make,’ cf. (in the Septuagint) Ex. 18.25, 36.1. and in the N.T. Heb. 3.2. The influence of the Septuagint is seen in this use of the verb (cf. Rawlinson, Lagrange).

The two hina ‘in order that’ clauses indicate purpose and are coordinate: ‘that they be with him and that he send them’ are the two purposes for which Jesus appointed the twelve men.

hina apostellē autous ‘that he should send them out’: it is better to translate the verb as an active form, with Jesus as subject, than to translate it by a passive (as does Revised Standard Version) ‘to be sent out.’

apostellō (cf. 1.2) ‘send out’: from this verb the noun apostolos (6.30) ‘apostle’ is formed (cf. 6.7 for the ‘sending out’).

kērussein kai echein exousian ‘to preach and to have authority’: the two infinitives ‘to preach’ and ‘to have authority’ are coordinate, and are both the object of apostellō ‘send out.’ A translation should preserve this construction if possible rather than make the second infinitive a subordinate clause (as does Translator’s New Testament).

kērussō (cf. 1.4) ‘proclaim,’ ‘announce,’ ‘preach.’

echein exousian (cf. 1.22) ‘to have authority.’

ekballein ta daimonia (cf. 1.34) ‘to cast out the demons’: this infinitive clause is the object of echein exousian ‘to have authority.’

Translation:

Appointed is not always an easy term to translate. In general the cultural background which may provide an adequate equivalent is to be found in many societies in the practice of (1) medicine men who appoint associates or (2) chiefs or kings who designate certain men to offices of responsibility. When this is done the process is often described in more concrete terms, e.g. ‘gave them jobs to do,’ ‘gave then important names,’ or ‘chose them for tasks.’ Such expressions can generally be adapted to this type of context. Cf. Toraja-Sa’dan ‘he exalted (the status of) twelve people’; Pamona and Indonesian ‘he appointed twelve people for good.’

Twelve must usually have some added noun, e.g. ‘twelve men,’ ‘twelve persons,’ or even ‘twelve followers.’ Most languages require some type of classifier with a numeral such as ‘twelve.’

If the full meaning of to be with him is to be understood it must often be elaborated in one of two directions: (1) by some verbal mode or aspect which would indicate that the apostles were to remain with him in some more permanent relationship than the crowds which followed, or (2) by related lexical elements, e.g. ‘to remain with him,’ ‘to be associated with him,’ or ‘to be with him more constantly.’ Note, however, that their appointment was for a double purpose – not only association, but commission to go out. The words used at this point should not be contradictory. On the other hand, their close association with the Master was to precede their being sent out on their own.

For preach see 1.4.

For authority see 2.10, but note that the important aspect of the word exousia ‘authority’ is that of delegated power. Accordingly, in this passage ‘to receive power (or strength) to cast out’ would be quite satisfactory.

For cast out, in speaking of demons, see 1.34.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .