Devine Scripture

Mark 7:33

What does Mark 7:33 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 7:33 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 7:33 means

Jesus privately leads the man away, puts his fingers into the man’s ears, spits, and touches his tongue. These gestures combine symbolic and physical acts: placing fingers in the ears addresses deafness, touching the tongue addresses speech, and spitting—an ancient sign with ambiguous meaning—may signify incorporation of Jesus’ life-giving presence. The private, tactile approach shows pastoral care and personal attention, and it underscores Jesus’ willingness to use ordinary means to effect extraordinary healing, emphasizing both compassion and authority.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he took him on one side from the people privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he put water from his mouth on the man's tongue with his finger;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And having taken him away from the multitude by himself, he put his fingers to his ears, and having spit, he touched his tongue,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And having taken him away from the crowd apart, he put his fingers to his ears; and having spit, he touched his tongue;

Context

This verse describes the intimate method of healing and follows the crowd’s request. The private withdrawal isolates the miracle from spectacle, allowing a focused act of restoration. It prepares the climactic command 'Ephphatha' in the next verse and highlights Jesus’ physical, relational engagement with the suffering.

v.32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him.

v.33This passage

v.34and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

Cross references

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

  • Mark 5:40

    And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him, and goeth in where the child was.

  • 2 Kings 4:4

    And thou shalt go in, and shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels; and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

  • Mark 8:23

    And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, Seest thou aught?

  • 2 Kings 4:33

    He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto Jehovah.

  • John 9:6

    When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay,

  • 1 Kings 17:19

    And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

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