And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).
Parallel translations
- WEB Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
- KJV And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
- NKJV Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
- NASB and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
- NLT Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!”
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 looks to heaven, sighs, and commands 'Be opened!'—healing with divine authority while grieving creation's brokenness. His word alone accomplishes the cure.
Overview
Looking to heaven shows that Jesus' power comes from the Father, and the sigh expresses his compassionate sorrow over a world marred by sin and suffering. The Aramaic word 'Ephphatha' is preserved by Mark to convey the immediacy and authority of Jesus' command. As the Word made flesh, Jesus speaks and creation responds, foreshadowing the new creation he brings through the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- John 11:41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
- Mark 5:41Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”
- Acts 9:40Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
- John 11:33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
- Acts 9:34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,
- Mark 6:41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.
- John 11:43After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
- Mark 8:12Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
- Isa 53:3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
- Mark 1:41Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”
- Luke 7:14Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!”
- Luke 18:42“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.”
- John 17:1When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
- John 11:35Jesus wept.
- Mark 15:34At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
- Luke 19:41As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
- John 11:38Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
- Heb 4:15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
- Ezek 21:6–7But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
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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 7:34 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.