Mark 6:56
What does Mark 6:56 mean?
A plain-English look at Mark 6:56 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Mark 6:56 means
Mark 6:56 records that wherever Jesus entered—villages, cities, or countryside—people laid the sick in marketplaces and begged to touch even the border of his garment, and as many as touched him were healed. The verse emphasizes Jesus’ accessibility and the power associated with his presence. The “border of his garment” echoes Old Testament themes of faith touching God’s mediator (e.g., woman with issue of blood) and underscores humility and belief rather than spectacle. The healing is pervasive and immediate, confirming Jesus’ compassion and the authenticity of his ministry.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And wherever he went, into small towns, or great towns, or into the country, they took those who were ill into the market-places, requesting him that they might put their hands even on the edge of his robe: and all those who did so were made well.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and wherever he was going, to villages, or cities, or fields, in the market-places they were laying the infirm, and were calling upon him, that they may touch if it were but the fringe of his garment, and as many as were touching him were saved.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And whithersoever he entered, into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And wherever he entered into villages, or cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the market-places, and besought him that they might touch if it were only the hem of his garment; and as many as touched him were healed.
Context
As the closing verse of the chapter, this follows the crowd’s bringing of the sick (verse 55) and describes widespread healings wherever Jesus went. It contrasts dramatically with the rejection in Nazareth (verses 1–6) and demonstrates the scope and persistence of Jesus’ restorative work. The final verse leaves the reader with a powerful image of accessibility and healing, preparing for continuing narratives about Jesus’ ministry into the next chapter.
v.55and ran round about that whole region, and began to carry about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
v.56This passage
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 6:19
And all the multitude sought to touch him; for power came forth from him, and healed them all.
- Deuteronomy 22:12
Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four borders of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
- Acts 4:12
And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.
- Numbers 15:38
Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue:
- Acts 5:15
insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.
- Matthew 9:20
And behold, a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment:
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