“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
- KJV And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
- NKJV But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
- NASB And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
- NLT Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
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 gently rebukes the disciples for their fear and lack of faith.
Overview
Having calmed the sea, Jesus addresses the deeper storm in his disciples' hearts. Their fear exposed how little they trusted his presence and power. His question is an invitation to greater faith, grounded in the truth that the One who is with them rules over all things.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Luke 8:25“Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”
- Matt 14:31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
- Matt 8:26“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
- Isa 43:2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.
- Matt 16:8Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?
- Matt 6:30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
- Ps 46:1–3For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
- John 6:19–20When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.
- Isa 42:3A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
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 4:40 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.