But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”
- KJV And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
- NKJV But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
- NASB He *said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.”
- NLT But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.”
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
Jesus chooses to move on to preach in other towns, for that is why He came. Proclaiming the good news, not merely healing, is His central purpose.
Overview
Jesus prioritizes preaching the kingdom over staying where He is most wanted. He understands His mission as God-given ('I came out for this reason'), embracing a wider scope. This clarifies that His miracles serve and confirm His message of salvation, which must reach many.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Luke 4:43But Jesus told them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well, because that is why I was sent.”
- Isa 61:1–3The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- John 17:8For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
- John 17:4I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.
- John 16:28I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
- Luke 2:49“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
- Luke 4:18–21“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,
- John 9:4While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
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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 1:38 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.