And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me?
- BSB Jesus asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw?
- NKJV Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?
- NASB And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a man inciting a revolt?
- NLT Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?
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 protests being seized like a robber with weapons. He exposes the injustice and cowardice of his arrest.
Overview
By questioning the armed nighttime arrest, Jesus highlights that he is no criminal and has acted openly. The heavy show of force reveals fear and the absence of any just charge. His calm words underscore his innocence even as he submits to unjust treatment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 1 Sam 26:18And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?
- Luke 22:52–53Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
- 1 Sam 24:14–15After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
- Matt 26:55In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
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 14:48 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.