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And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time.
Mark 1:35 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.
  • KJV And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
  • BSB Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.
  • NKJV Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
  • NLT Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Very early, Jesus withdraws alone to a deserted place to pray. Even amid demanding ministry, He prioritizes communion with the Father.

Overview

Despite the previous night's success, Jesus rises before dawn to seek God in solitude. This shows the Son's dependence on the Father and the centrality of prayer to His mission. For believers, it models the necessity of prayer to sustain faithful service and right priorities.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • Luke 6:12In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
  • Luke 5:16But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.
  • Luke 22:39–46He came out, and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him.
  • Eph 6:18with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
  • Ps 5:3Yahweh, in the morning you shall hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly.
  • John 6:15Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
  • Heb 5:7He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
  • Matt 14:23After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
  • Mark 6:46–48After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray.
  • Luke 4:42–43When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them.
  • Phil 2:5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
  • John 4:34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
  • Ps 109:4In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Mark videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Mark 1:35YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MarkMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'

How Mark 1:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.