And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
Parallel translations
- WEB They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”
- KJV And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
- BSB They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”
- NASB And they were even more astonished, and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?”
- NLT The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
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
The astonished disciples ask who then can be saved. Jesus' words have stripped away every human ground of confidence.
Overview
If even the seemingly blessed rich cannot save themselves, the disciples rightly wonder whether anyone can. Their astonishment shows they have grasped that salvation is beyond human reach. The question sets the stage for the gospel answer: what people cannot do, God can.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Acts 16:31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
- 2 Cor 11:23Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.
- Rom 10:9–13that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Mark 7:37They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear, and the mute speak!”
- Mark 6:51He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled;
- Luke 13:23One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them,
- Luke 18:26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 10:26 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.