SIL Translator’s Notes on Mark 2008 – Page 4

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 3:14

3:14a

He appointed twelve of them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as appointed here literally means “made.” Jesus made twelve men his apostles. This indicates that Jesus “chose” or “selected” twelve of the disciples he had summoned to be apostles. For example:

Then he chose twelve of them (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Then he selected twelve of them (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)

3:14b

whom He designated as apostles: There is a textual issue in this verse. In some Greek manuscripts, there is a clause that means “designating them apostles.”

(1) Most recent, major English versions follow the manuscripts that include this clause. For example, the God’s Word says:

14aHe appointed twelve 14bwhom he called apostles. 14cThey were to accompany him.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Century Version, New Living Translation, New Revised Standard Version, NET Bible)

(2) Other English versions follow the manuscripts that do not include this clause. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:

14aand he appointed twelve; 14cthey were to be his companions

(Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), since it is supported by many of the earliest manuscripts. (The UBS4 follows option (1), giving it a C rating, indicating some degree of doubt. Although this reading has the support of some of the oldest and most reliable manuscripts, there is also strong reason to believe that copyists may have taken this phrase from Luke 6:13 and added it here. The Revised Standard Version and the New Jerusalem Bible no doubt omitted it because of its considerable degree of uncertainty. The addition could be explained based on a copyist’s tendency to want to harmonize and/or further clarify a text. (Based on UBS4 page 128, Metzger page 69, and EH page 69).)

However, if the major language version in your area followed option (2), it may be best to follow that option.

designated: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as designated is literally “named.” For example:

whom he named apostles (Good News Bible)

The Contemporary English Version has another way to translate this:

to be his apostles (Contemporary English Version)

apostles: The Greek word that English versions translate as apostles means “those who are sent.” It refers to people whom someone sends with authority to accomplish a mission or a particular task. Jesus chose twelve men to be his apostles.

Here are some other ways to translate apostle:

• Translate the meaning of the Greek word apostles. For example:

people sent to speak/act for him
-or-
special messengers
-or-
representatives

• Indicate the role or function of apostles. For example:

chief leaders of Jesus’ work
-or-
people who are in charge of Jesus’ work

Be careful to choose different terms for “apostle,” “angel,” “elder,” and “prophet.”

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 4:12

4:12a–c

All the words inside the single quote marks are from Isaiah 6:9–10. If you usually introduce Old Testament Scripture in a particular way, you may want to do so here. An example is:

…so that (as the Scriptures say), “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”

4:12a

so that: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that indicates purpose. Jesus spoke in parables so that those on the outside would not understand. (In Hebrew thought, the distinction between purpose and result is blurred, since everything that happens is under God’s control. The difficult statement that Jesus used parables in order that outsiders would not understand probably needs to be understood in light of other passages in both the NT and OT that speak of God hardening the hearts of people who had already shown their unwillingness to listen and obey. As Edwards (page 133) points out, this quotation from Isaiah occurs six times in the NT, always in contexts of unbelief and hardness of heart.) The New Revised Standard Version says:

in order that

In some languages it may be clearer or more natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

I do this in order that
-or-
My purpose/reason for doing this is so that

they may be ever seeing but never perceiving: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they may be ever seeing but never perceiving are literally “seeing they may see but not perceive” (The wording is different than the parallel verse in Matthew and Luke which have: “seeing, they do/may not see.” But the meaning is similar in all three.) (as in the New American Standard Bible). This clause is a quotation from the book of Isaiah. Jesus implied that the people who did not believe in him were like the people to whom Isaiah spoke. They would see what he did, but they would not understand the meaning of what they saw.

Most English versions use the word but to indicate the unexpected contrast between seeing and never perceiving. In some languages it may be more natural to express this contrast in other ways. For example:

although they are seeing, they are not understanding
-or-
they will not understand even though they see

Some languages may require an object for verbs like “see” and “understand.” Since this is a quotation from the Old Testament, it is good to make the object general. For example:

they may see and see proof of the truth, but never understand it

they may be ever seeing: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they may be ever seeing refers to seeing the same thing many times. The people saw the things that Jesus did on many occasions over a period of time.

This meaning may be expressed in different ways. For example:

they may look and look (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
they may indeed see (Revised Standard Version)

never perceiving: In this context, the phrase never perceiving means that people did not understand the significance of what they had seen with their eyes.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

they do not understand
-or-
they will learn nothing (New Living Translation)

4:12b

ever hearing but never understanding: The expression ever hearing but never understanding is similar in both form and meaning to 4:12a. The difference is that 4:12a focuses on seeing, whereas this clause focuses on hearing. (4:12a–b is an example of Hebrew poetry (from Isaiah). An important feature of Hebrew poetry is parallelism, stating similar ideas but using different words. In this case, the words “seeing” and “hearing” in the first half of lines a and b both refer literally to ways in which a person receives information; that is, with his eyes and ears. The words “perceiving” and “understanding” in the second half of lines a and b both refer to the way a person processes that information with his mind.)

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

may indeed hear but not understand (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
although they hear, they do/will not understand what they hear

In languages that require an object for the verb “hear,” the implied object is the truth. For example:

they hear the truth, but they do not understand it

General Comment on 4:12a–b

When you translate the similar ideas in 4:12a and 4:12b, use words in your language that fit naturally together. Some languages may need to use the same expression to translate “perceiving” and “understanding.”

In other languages, it may sound redundant to use the same word. If there is no other word that fits the context, the ideas in these two lines may be combined. For example:

they see and hear, but they do not understand anything

4:12c

otherwise: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as otherwise expresses another negative purpose for teaching in parables. (The New Jerusalem Bible takes this to refer to the people’s purpose in not paying attention: “to avoid changing their ways.”) In English this negative purpose can be expressed in various ways. For example:

so that they may not turn again (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
lest they should turn again (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
otherwise they might turn (Revised English Bible)

This negative purpose is closely related to people fulfilling the preceding purposes in 4:12a–b. One way to express this relationship in English is with an “if” clause. For example:

If they did, they would turn to God (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
If they did learn and understand, they would come back to me

turn: In this context, the verb turn means “repent.” It refers to turning from sin and toward God.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

turn to God (Good News Bible)
-or-
turn from their sins (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
return to me (God’s Word) (The God’s Word translates this expression with God speaking, which is the correct context in Isaiah.)
-or-
repent (NET Bible)

and be forgiven: The phrase and be forgiven expresses the result of the verb “turn.” The phrase is passive. If your language must say who forgives, you should say “God.”

Here is another way to translate the phrase in this context:

and God would forgive them

In this context the verb be forgiven means that God would choose not to punish the people for the evil/bad things that they had done, said, and thought. He would cancel their guilt and treat them as though they had not offended him.

See the note on “are forgiven” in 2:5c.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 5:4

5:4a

There is a Greek word at the start of 5:4a that indicates that the information in 5:4a explains the statement in 5:3b. Connect 5:4 to 5:3b in a way that is natural for explanations in your language. For example, the English Standard Version says:

for he had often been bound with shackles and chains

Though: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Though is a simple connector that is often translated as “and.” In this context, the word shows a contrast between what 5:4a describes and what 5:4b describes. People wanted and expected the man to remain bound, but instead he broke the chains. In some languages it may be natural to translate the word as but and put it at the start of 5:4b in order to show the contrast. Connect 5:4a to 5:4b in a way that is natural in your language.

he was often bound with chains and shackles: This clause is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to make it active and supply a general subject such as “people.” For example, the New Century Version says:

Many times people had used chains to tie the man’s hands and feet

bound with chains and shackles: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bound with chains and shackles is literally “with foot-shackles/irons and chains had been bound.” “Foot-shackles” or “irons” were metal objects that were placed around a person’s ankles to restrain his feet. In this context, “chains” refers to metal chains that were placed on a person’s wrists to restrain his arms.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

bound with fetters and chains (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
bound/fettered his feet and chained his wrists
-or-
bound/tied his arms and feet with chains

5:4b

he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles: This clause indicates that the man broke apart the chains on his hands and smashed the metal objects on his ankles. Use a vivid and clear way to describe these violent actions. If you use only one word for “chains” on hands and feet in 5:4a, you may need only one verb to describe breaking them here. For example, the New Century Version says:

4aMany times people had used chains to tie the man’s hands and feet, 4bbut he always broke them off.

5:4c

Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him: This statement is similar to the one in 5:3b, which says that no one could bind him any more. The statement here in 5:4c says specifically that no one was strong enough to control the man. The context implies that the unclean spirit in the man gave him abnormal strength.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 5:36

5:36a

But: In Greek this verse begins with a conjunction that often shows contrast. Though the words of 5:35b–c were spoken to Jairus, Jesus heard them. To show this, the Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions begin this verse with “But.” Connect these verses in a way that is natural in your language.

Jesus overheard their conversation: There are two ways to interpret the meaning of the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as overheard:

(1) It means to “overhear.” Jesus heard the words spoken in 5:35b–c although they were not spoken to him. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:

Jesus overheard what they said

(Berean Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) It means to “ignore” something that is said. Here Jesus did not agree that he should not go to Jairus’ house because his daughter was dead. For example, the Good News Bible says:

Jesus paid no attention to what they said

(Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation, 1996 edition, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The Greek word can mean both (1) and (2), and both are true in this context. But interpretation (2) implies interpretation (1).

5:36b

and said to Jairus: Here the Greek describes Jairus by his title. Consider again if it would be more natural in your language to refer to him by name (“Jairus”), as the Berean Standard Bible does, or by his title/function (“the synagogue leader”).

5:36c

Do not be afraid; just believe: These two expressions of encouragement contrast with each other. The first says what Jairus should not do; the second says what he should do. In some languages it may be natural to connect them with a word of contrast. For example:

Do not be afraid. Instead just believe.

Do not be afraid: Consider if “afraid” is the way people in your culture would describe the emotion that Jairus would have felt in this context. In some languages it may be better to use a different expression. For example:

Do not be distressed/troubled
-or-
Do not despair

just believe: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as believe means to be confident of something or to trust someone. In this verse, Jesus did not say explicitly what or who Jairus should believe. In this context, it probably means that Jairus should continue to believe that Jesus could help his daughter.

In some languages a verb like “believe” or “trust” requires an object. If that is true in your language, here are some examples for this context:

only keep trusting me
-or-
just continue to believe that I can save your daughter

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 6:26

6:26a–c

There is a contrast between 6:26a and 6:26b–c. English versions show this contrast by using words such as “but” and “although” and by arranging the order of the clauses in several ways. For example:

26aThe king deeply regretted his promise. 26bBut because of his oath and his guests, 26che didn’t want to refuse her. (God’s Word)
-or-
26aAlthough it grieved the king deeply, 26che did not want to reject her request 26bbecause of his oath and his guests. (NET Bible)

6:26a

The king was consumed with sorrow: The Greek term that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was consumed with sorrow means “very sad” or “greatly distressed.” King Herod was distressed because he did not want to kill a prophet whom he respected (6:20a–b).

In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit the immediate cause of his distress. This was the girl’s request and the promise that he had made. For example:

The king was greatly distressed about her request
-or-
The king deeply regretted his promise. (God’s Word)
-or-
The king was very sorry for what he had said. (Contemporary English Version)

6:26b

but: The word but is not in the Greek. The Berean Standard Bible has added it to show the contrast between 6:26a and 6:26b–c.

because of his oaths and his guests: The Greek text refers to two things that made Herod decide to have someone kill John: his oaths and his guests. But these were not two separate, unconnected things. His guests had heard his oaths. Use the proper connecting words to make clear how these things together influenced Herod. For example:

because he had made oaths and because his dinner guests had heard them
-or-
…he did not want to break the promise he had made in front of his guests. So…

oaths: The Greek noun that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as oaths has a related meaning to the Greek verb translated as “swore” in 6:23a. But the Greek word is different. If you translated the word “swore” with a noun in 6:23a and the word oaths here as a noun, it is recommended that you use a singular form in 6:23a and a plural form in 6:26b. The New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and some other English versions do this.

guests: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as guests has the same root as the word in 6:22b. These were the people whom Herod had invited. They were eating and drinking with him at the feast. Use a term that is natural in your language. Here are some examples:

those he had invited
-or-
those who were eating and drinking at the feast with him

6:26c

he did not want to refuse her: The words to refuse her indicate that Herod did not want to refuse to give Herodias’ daughter what she requested. In some languages it may be necessary to make some of the implied information explicit. For example:

he did not want to reject her request
-or-
he did not want to refuse to give her what she had asked for

In some languages it may be natural to translate this as a direct quote. For example:

…he did not want to say to her, “No, I will not give you what you ask.”

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 7:3

7:3–4

7:3–4 is background information. These verses are Mark’s explanation of the Jewish custom of ceremonial hand-washing. Mark explained this custom to help his Gentile audience understand the story better. Some other translations have parentheses around these verses. You should use whatever is natural in your language to show that these verses are explanatory background information.

7:3a

Now: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now introduces background information about ceremonial hand-washing. Here is another way to translate it:

For (Revised Standard Version)

in holding to the tradition of the elders: The phrase in holding to the tradition of the elders may be connected to 7:3b–c in various ways:

• It may express the purpose or motivation for ceremonially washing their hands. For example:

in order to keep the traditions of the elders
-or-
in obedience to ancient tradition (Revised English Bible)

• It may express the result of ceremonially washing their hands. For example, the New Revised Standard Version says:

thus observing the tradition of the elders

• The clause relationship may be left implicit. For example, the God’s Word starts a new sentence:

They follow the traditions of their ancestors.

You may follow any of these options. See the General Comment on 7:3a–c below.

holding: The Greek word the Berean Standard Bible translates as holding literally means to “grab hold of, seize, hold tightly.” Here Mark used this word in a figurative sense to mean “following” or “obeying.” Mark used this word to show that the Pharisees and those like them closely followed the traditions or customs of the Jewish elders.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

carefully following
-or-
obey (Contemporary English Version)

the tradition of the elders: The phrase the tradition of the elders refers to the religious rules that the Pharisees taught. Over the years, the Pharisees made many religious rules/laws. The Pharisees said that following these rules was as important as following the law of Moses. People called these added rules the tradition of the elders.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the rules of the elders
-or-
the teachings of their forefathers

elders: The word elders refers here to Jewish religious leaders of previous generations who taught these rules to the Jews of following generations. Some examples of other ways to say elders are:

ancestors (Good News Bible)
-or-
forefathers

7:3b-c

the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially: There is a textual issue in this verse:

(1) Most Greek manuscripts have a Greek idiom that literally means with a fist. This refers to washing in a specific, ceremonial or customary way. For example the Good News Bible says:

they do not eat unless they wash their hands in the proper way

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version, New Living Translation, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) Some Greek manuscripts have a word that literally means often or thoroughly. For example, the New Revised Standard Version says:

[they] do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands

(New Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible)

(3) Some Greek manuscripts do not have either expression. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

do not eat unless they wash their hands

(Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), since it has the support of the majority of manuscripts. These include some of the oldest and most reliable manuscripts. Also, most English versions follow this option.

7:3b

the Pharisees and all the Jews: The Pharisees were themselves Jews. So in some languages it may be necessary to translate this as:

For the Pharisees, as well as the rest of the Jews (Good News Bible)
-or-
The Jews, especially the Pharisees (New Living Translation)

Pharisees: The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group or party. See the note on Pharisees at 7:1a.

all: The word all in this context is a hyperbole. Mark did not mean that all Jews without exception followed the ritual hand-washing regulations. He meant that this was a custom that was generally followed by Jews. (Gundry (page 349) identifies “all” specifically as a hyperbole. Several commentators mention that the common people would not have followed these regulations very carefully. However, it was common among authors of that time to make generalizations of this nature, especially when writing to people of other backgrounds (France page 281, Guelich pages 363–364, Lane page 245, Lenski page 283).)

If your language uses hyperbole, you may be able to use a word like all. If people in your area will not understand this as hyperbole, you may want to refer to the Jews in general, as the New Living Translation does.

the Jews: The word Jews here refers to the followers of the Jewish religion. The word comes from the name of their ancestor Judah, the great-grandson of Abraham.

If you do not have a word in your language for Jews, you could form a word based on the Hebrew name “Yehuda” (Judah). You could also borrow the term from a major language translation used in your area. Use the form or phrase your language naturally uses for names of tribes called after a common ancestor. For example:

Yahudi (Arabic)

do not eat: In some languages it may be natural to provide an explicit object for the verb eat. See the note on eating at 7:2a.

7:3c

until they wash their hands ceremonially: This phrase states what the Jews always did before they ate their meals. They always washed their hands first.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

until they have first ceremonially washed their hands
-or-
[never eat] before washing their hands in a special way (New Century Version)

ceremonially: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ceremonially is an idiom that literally means “with a fist.” It refers to washing in a specific, ceremonial way. However, scholars are not certain of the actual method of washing that is described here. (This idiom occurs only here in the New Testament. Proposed meanings include: “turning one fist inside the hollow of the other hand,” “up to the wrist/elbow,” and “with a handful of water.” Hiebert (pages 171–175) gives a good summary of these methods.) There are at least two ways to translate this idiom:

• Give the general meaning of this idiom. For example:

[they] do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing (New International Version)
-or-
[they] do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing (NET Bible)

• Describe a specific method that Jewish people used when they washed. For example:

[they] never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
[they] do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands (New Living Translation)

General Comment on 7:3b–c

In some languages it may be natural to translate these verse parts using a positive statement. For example:

3bThe Pharisees and all the Jews 3calways ceremonially wash their hands 3bbefore they eat

General Comment on 7:3a–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the information in these verse parts. For example, the Good News Bible has:

3bFor the Pharisees, as well as the rest of the Jews, 3afollow the teaching they received from their ancestors: 3bthey do not eat 3cunless they wash their hands in the proper way…

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 7:35

7:35a

Immediately: There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have a word that means “immediately.” It occurs before “the man’s ears were opened.” The New International Version has:

At this…

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation, NET Bible, God’s Word, King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts do not have this word that means “immediately.”

(Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), since it has the majority of manuscript support. (UBS4 (pages 148–149), Swanson, page 116.) Also, most English versions follow this option.

the man’s ears were opened: In this context the man’s ears were opened is an idiom. It means “the man was able to hear.” Translate this phrase in a way that is natural for your language.

7:35b

his tongue was released: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as his tongue was released is literally “the bond of his tongue was loosened.” This phrase is an idiom. It means that the man became able to speak clearly. Translate this idiom in a natural way in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

his speech defect was removed
-or-
he was able to move his tongue freely

and he began to speak plainly: The word and in the Berean Standard Bible introduces what happened when the man’s tongue was released. In some languages it may be more natural to express this event as a result. For example, the New Century Version has:

so that he spoke clearly

speak plainly: The phrase speak plainly contrasts with “could hardly talk” in 7:32. The man was completely healed. He could speak clearly so that those around him understood what he said.

Here are some other ways to translate speak plainly:

talk without any trouble (Good News Bible)
-or-
speak clearly (New Century Version)

Paragraph 7:36–37

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 8:31

Section 8:31–33

Jesus told his disciples that he must suffer, die, and live again

In the preceding section, Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. In this section, Jesus explained to the disciples what would happen to him as the Messiah. In contrast to what the disciples thought that Jesus would do as their Messiah, God had planned for him to suffer, die, and live again.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus tells his disciples about his coming death and resurrection
-or-
Jesus told his disciples that people would kill him but he would live again after three days
-or-
Jesus speaks about his death

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 16:21–23 and Luke 9:22–23.

Paragraph 8:31–33

8:31a

Then: In Greek, this verse begins with the common conjunction that is often translated as “and.” The Berean Standard Bible translates it as Then. However, some English versions, such as the New International Version, do not translate this conjunction. In this context it introduces what Jesus did next. Connect this verse to 8:30 in a natural way in your language.

He began to teach them: The phrase He began to teach them indicates that Jesus began to teach his disciples about a new topic. Because this is the start of a new section and a new paragraph, it may be natural to refer explicitly to Jesus and his disciples:

Jesus began to teach his disciples

8:31b

that the Son of Man must suffer many things: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Son of Man must suffer is literally “it is necessary for the Son of Man to suffer.” This statement implies that the suffering was necessary because it was God’s will or plan. It was something that must happen that was beyond the control of human beings.

the Son of Man: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Son of Man is literally “the Son of the human/person.” Jesus used this phrase as a title for himself. He used this title to imply that:

(a) he was a true human being, and he represented all people.

(b) he came from God and had authority from God.

Try to use an expression that implies both meanings. Here are some other expressions that translators have used:

the Man whom God Sent
-or-
the True Man from God/Heaven
-or-
the Representative of Mankind
-or-
The Older Brother of All People

In some cases, an unusual title may correctly suggest a deeper meaning. For example:

the Child of a Person
-or-
the One who was Born as a Human

Translators have also used expressions that are more literal. These more literal expressions may be appropriate where readers are familiar with a literal title in another version.

In some languages it may be necessary to use a form like “I” or “me” to indicate that Jesus was referring to himself. For example:

me, the Son of Man
-or-
who became man/human

See how you translated Son of Man at 2:10a and 2:28.

must: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as must applies to all the following verbs in this verse: “suffer,” “be rejected,” “be killed,” and “rise again.” The verb indicates that it was necessary for all these things to happen because God had planned for them to happen. Be sure to indicate that in some way in your language.

suffer many things: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as suffer many things indicates that Jesus would have to suffer in various ways. It also implies that the suffering was terrible and was not just for a short time.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

suffer a lot (God’s Word)
-or-
undergo many sufferings
-or-
suffer many terrible things (New Living Translation)

8:31c

be rejected: To be rejected means to “(someone) refuses to accept (something).” In this verse it means that the groups of Jewish leaders would refuse to believe that Jesus was their Messiah.

by the elders, chief priests, and scribes: These three groups together represented all the leaders of the Jews. The elders were the civil leaders or rulers. They were generally older men. The chief priests were the leading priests, and the scribes were the experts in the religious law.

chief priests: A Jewish priest was a man who offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. He also performed other rituals for them. The phrase the…chief priests refers to the leaders among these priests.

Here are some other ways to translate chief priests:

the leading/ruling priests
-or-
the elders among the Jewish sacrificers
-or-
the most prominent priests

See how you translated “priest” in 1:44b.

scribes: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as scribes is sometimes translated as “teachers of the law,” as in the New International Version. The original work of these men was to copy the laws of Moses by hand. In New Testament times, their main task was to study, interpret, and teach the law of Moses and related Jewish laws and traditions.

Here are some other ways to translate this term:

the teachers of the Law of Moses (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the teachers of religious law (New Living Translation)
-or-
the experts in the law (NET Bible)

See how you translated this in 1:22c and 7:5a. Also, see teacher of the law in the Glossary for more information.

8:31d

He must be killed: This is a passive clause. The pronoun He refers to Jesus as the Son of Man, and the focus is still on him. In some languages it may be necessary to use an active verb. If this is true in your language, you may have another way to indicate that the focus is on Jesus. For example:

he must die by the hand/action of men
-or-
it must happen that people will kill him

killed: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as killed means “to cause a person to die.” In this context people would kill Jesus. They would execute him, though he had done nothing wrong. Use an appropriate verb for this in your language. For example, the Good News Bible and New Jerusalem Bible say:

put to death

8:31e

and after three days: The expression after three days refers to three days after Jesus’ death. The Jews counted any part of a day as a whole day. The day on which Jesus died was counted as one day. The complete day that he was in the tomb was counted as the second day. The part of the day before he rose from the dead was counted as the third day.

rise again: The phrase rise again refers to the Son of Man (Jesus) becoming alive again after he died. Be sure that the expression you use does not imply that Jesus did not really die but revived after almost dying. Use an expression that clearly refers to literal death and to a real return to life.

Here are some other ways to translate rise again:

he will rise to life (Good News Bible)
-or-
and then rise from the dead (New Century Version)

In some languages it will not be possible to use a word such as “rise,” because it may refer only to standing up.

Here are some other ways to translate the correct meaning:

he will live again
-or-
he will become alive again

Use an expression that communicates this meaning clearly in your language.

General Comment on 8:31a–c

It may be more natural in your language to put what Jesus taught his disciples into direct speech, as the Good News Bible has done:

Then Jesus began to teach his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will rise to life.”

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

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Source: SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 2008

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 3:14

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 4:12

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 5:4

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 5:36

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 6:26

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 7:3

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 7:35

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 8:31

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