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.”
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.
- BSB 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.”
- 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.”
- 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 he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.”
- Isa 61:1–3The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;
- John 17:8for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
- John 17:4I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.
- John 16:28I came from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
- Luke 2:49He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must 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 heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,
- John 9:4I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 1:38 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.