And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? 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?
- 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?”
- 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 8:25He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this, then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”
- Matt 14:31Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
- Matt 8:26He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
- Isa 43:2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.
- Matt 16:8Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, ‘because you have brought no bread?’
- Matt 6:30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
- Ps 46:1–3For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- John 6:19–20When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
- Isa 42:3He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring 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.