Limitless Word
Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
Mark 6:15 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB But others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
  • BSB Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
  • NKJV Others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
  • NASB But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
  • NLT Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”

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

Others speculate that Jesus is Elijah or one of the prophets.

Overview

The popular guesses reflect genuine expectation of Elijah's return and the prophetic role, yet they fall short of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Such opinions honor Jesus while still missing his true identity. The verse highlights the wider confusion about who Jesus really is.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 18

  • Matt 16:14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
  • Mal 4:5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
  • Matt 21:11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
  • Mark 8:28And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
  • John 9:17They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
  • John 1:21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
  • Mark 15:35–36And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
  • Luke 7:16And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
  • Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
  • Mark 9:12–13And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
  • Acts 3:22–23For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
  • John 6:14Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
  • John 7:40Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
  • Matt 17:10–11And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
  • Luke 1:17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
  • John 1:25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
  • Luke 9:19They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
  • Luke 9:8And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

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 6:15YouTube · 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 6:15 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.