And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
- BSB “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still 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 8:25And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
- Matt 14:31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
- Matt 8:26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
- Isa 43:2When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
- Matt 16:8Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
- Matt 6:30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
- Ps 46:1–3God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- John 6:19–20So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
- Isa 42:3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
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.