Devine Scripture

Mark 6:33

What does Mark 6:33 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 6:33 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 6:33 means

Mark 6:33 reports that people saw them leaving, recognized them, and ran on foot from surrounding cities to reach them before the boat arrived. This shows the extraordinary eagerness and need of the people; they value Jesus’ presence highly and will go to great lengths. Their determination foils Jesus’ attempt at rest and reveals both the intensity of his reputation and the depth of communal hunger for guidance and healing. The verse portrays a people who prioritize spiritual help over convenience, pressing into places of solitude to find pastoral care.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the people saw them going, and a number of them, having knowledge who they were, went running there together on foot from all the towns, and got there before them.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And the multitudes saw them going away, and many recognised him, and by land from all the cities they ran thither, and went before them, and came together to him,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither foot from all the cities, and were there before them.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And many saw them going, and recognised them, and ran together there on foot, out of all the cities, and got [there] before them.

Context

This verse follows the disciples’ departure by boat (verse 32) and shows how the crowds pursued Jesus. It overturns the plan for rest and pushes the narrative toward Jesus’ compassion-driven ministry to the multitudes (verse 34). The detail that many “outwent them” emphasizes the crowd’s zeal and sets the stage for Jesus’ teaching and later the feeding miracle; the scene demonstrates that pastoral rest often meets the persistent needs of the needy.

v.32And they went away in the boat to a desert place apart.

v.33This passage

v.34And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • James 1:19

    Ye knowthis, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

  • Mark 6:54

    And when they were come out of the boat, straightway the people knew him,

  • John 6:2

    And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick.

  • Matthew 15:29

    And Jesus departed thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.

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