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But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,
Mark 3:7 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,
  • BSB So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea,
  • NKJV But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea
  • NASB Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a large multitude from Galilee followed, and also from Judea,
  • NLT Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea,

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 withdraws to the sea, yet great crowds from Galilee and beyond follow him. It matters because his fame and ministry expand even as official opposition hardens.

Overview

As plots against him grow, Jesus draws back but does not stop ministering, and multitudes flock to him. The wide geographic origins of the crowd show his renown spreading throughout the region. Mark contrasts the leaders' rejection with the people's eager pursuit, underscoring that the kingdom advances despite hostility.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • Luke 6:17And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
  • Matt 4:25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
  • Matt 12:15But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
  • Luke 23:5And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
  • Josh 20:7And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
  • Mark 1:39And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
  • John 11:53–54Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
  • Matt 10:23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
  • Luke 6:12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
  • Acts 14:5–6And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
  • Acts 17:14And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
  • John 7:52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
  • Josh 21:32And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.
  • John 7:41Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
  • Acts 17:10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
  • John 10:39–41Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Mark videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Mark 3:7YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MarkMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 3:7 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.