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And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
Mark 4:37 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.
  • BSB Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
  • NKJV And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
  • NASB And a fierce gale of wind *developed, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling with water.
  • NLT But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

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

A violent windstorm arises and the waves fill the boat, endangering everyone aboard.

Overview

The Sea of Galilee is prone to sudden, fierce squalls, and this storm threatens to sink the boat. The danger is real and the disciples, several of them seasoned fishermen, are overwhelmed. The crisis sets the stage for Jesus to reveal his divine power over the chaos of the sea.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 9

  • Matt 8:23–24And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
  • Job 1:19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
  • Luke 8:22–23Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
  • Ps 107:23–31They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
  • Jonah 1:4But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
  • Acts 27:14–20But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
  • Job 1:12And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
  • 2 Cor 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
  • Acts 27:41And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

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 4:37YouTube · 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 4:37 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.