“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people.”
- KJV But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
- NKJV But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.”
- NASB for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there will be a riot of the people.”
- NLT “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”
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 leaders decide not to act during the feast, fearing a riot among the crowds. Their cautious timing would be overruled by God's plan.
Overview
They hoped to avoid the festival when Jerusalem swelled with pilgrims who admired Jesus. Yet events would move on God's schedule, not theirs, so that Jesus died precisely at Passover as the true Lamb. Their human calculations could not control the divine appointment; the Son of Man would be handed over exactly when the Father purposed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Mark 11:32But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- John 12:19Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”
- Lam 3:27It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.
- Luke 20:6But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
- Prov 19:21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Mark 11:18When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
- Matt 26:5“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
- John 7:40On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 14:2 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.