Devine Scripture

Mark 6:39

What does Mark 6:39 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 6:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 6:39 means

Mark 6:39 describes Jesus commanding the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. This orderly arrangement facilitated feeding, reflected care for the crowd’s needs, and prevented chaos. The detail of “green grass” evokes pastoral abundance and the image of a shepherd with sheep, reinforcing the earlier shepherd metaphor (verse 34). Organizing them into groups also shows Jesus’ methodical approach: miracles in Mark often follow order and participation, not spectacle alone. The verse prepares the distribution and underlines the communal nature of the miracle.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he made them all be seated in groups on the green grass.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And he commanded them to make all recline in companies upon the green grass,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he commanded them that they should make them all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he ordered them to make them all sit down by companies on the green grass.

Context

This verse follows the disciples’ inventory (verse 38) and moves toward practical preparation for the feeding. The seating mirrors shepherd care described earlier and sets the stage for the disciples’ role in serving as Jesus distributes the multiplied food. It is a transition from problem and data to action and involvement, leading to the blessing and breaking in verse 41 and the subsequent fullness experienced by the crowd.

v.38And he saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

v.39This passage

v.40And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

Cross references

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

  • Matthew 15:35

    And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;

  • 1 Corinthians 14:33

    for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

  • 1 Corinthians 14:40

    But let all things be done decently and in order.

  • Esther 1:5

    And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

  • 1 Kings 10:5

    and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; there was no more spirit in her.

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