MARK 6:48 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) He saw them struggling to row against the wind, and sometime after 3am he came out to them, walking on the lake surface as if to walk past them.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And having seen them being tormented as they rowed—for the wind was against them—and about the fourth watch of the night, he comes to them, walking on the sea, and he was wishing to pass by them.

UST Now the wind was blowing from where the apprentices wanted to go, so they were struggling to row the boat across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus noticed that. So, soon before morning, he joined them. He was walking on top of the Sea of Galilee! He planned to walk right past them.

BSB He could see that [the disciples] were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About [the] fourth watch of the night,[fn] [Jesus] went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,

6:48 That is, between three and six in the morning

MSB He could see that [the disciples] were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About [the] fourth watch of the night,[fn] [Jesus] went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,

6:48 That is, between three and six in the morning

BLB And He having seen them straining in the rowing--for the wind was contrary to them--about the fourth watch of the night, He comes to them, walking on the sea, and He was wishing to pass by them.

AICNT And seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he intended to pass by them.

OEB Seeing them labouring at the oars – for the wind was against them – about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them.

WEBBE Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending, he came to them walking on the sea, for he wanted to pass by them.

LSV and He saw them harassed in the rowing, for the wind was against them, and about the fourth watch of the night He comes to them walking on the sea, and wished to pass by them.

FBV He could see them being buffeted about as they rowed hard because the wind was blowing against them. In the early morning hours Jesus came to them, walking on the water. He would have passed them,

TCNT [fn]He saw the disciples straining as they rowed, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and intended to pass them by.

6:48 He … against them. About ¦ When he … against them, about ANT CT

T4T He saw that the wind was blowing against them as they rowed. As a result, they were having great difficulty. He approached them early in the morning, when it was still dark, by walking on the water. He intended to walk by them.

LEB And he saw them being beaten in their rowing[fn] because the wind was against them. Around the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he was wanting to pass by them.

6:48 Or “being held up in their progress”

BBE And seeing that they had trouble in getting their boat through the water, because the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea; and he would have gone past them;

Moff but when he saw them buffeted as they rowed (for the wind was against them) he went to them about the fourth watch of the night walking on the sea. He meant to pass them,

Wymth But when He saw them distressed with rowing (for the wind was against them), towards morning He came towards them walking on the Lake, as if intending to pass them.

ASV And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them:

DRA And seeing them labouring in rowing, (for the wind was against them,) and about the fourth watch of the night, he cometh to them walking upon the sea, and he would have passed by them.

YLT and he saw them harassed in the rowing, for the wind was against them, and about the fourth watch of the night he doth come to them walking on the sea, and wished to pass by them.

Drby And seeing them labouring in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

RV And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them:
(And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh/comes unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them: )

SLT And he saw them trying to urge forward, for the wind was contrary to them: and about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them walking upon the sea, and he would pass by them.

Wbstr And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary to them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

KJB-1769 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
(And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh/comes unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. )

KJB-1611 And he saw them toiling in rowing (for the wind was contrary vnto them:) and about the fourth watch of the night, he commeth vnto them, walking vpon the Sea, and would haue passed by them.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps And he sawe them troubled in rowyng (for the wynde was contrary vnto them:) And about the fourth watche of the nyght, he came vnto them, walking vppon the sea, and woulde haue passed by them.
(And he saw them troubled in rowing (for the wind was contrary unto them:) And about the fourth watch of the night, he came unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.)

Gnva And he saw them troubled in rowing, (for the winde was contrary vnto them) and about the fourth watch of the night, hee came vnto them, walking vpon the sea, and would haue passed by them.
(And he saw them troubled in rowing, (for the wind was contrary unto them) and about the fourth watch of the night, he came unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. )

Cvdl And he sawe that they were in parell with rowynge, for the wynde was agaynst them. And aboute the fourth watch of ye night he came vnto them, and walked vpon the see, and wolde haue gone ouer by the.
(And he saw that they were in peril with rowing, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of ye/you_all night he came unto them, and walked upon the sea, and would have gone over by them.)

TNT and he sawe the troubled in rowynge for the wynde was cotrary vnto them. And aboute the fourth quartre of the nyght he came vnto the walkinge apon the see and wolde have passed by them.
(and he saw the troubled in rowing for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth quarter of the night he came unto the walking upon the sea and would have passed by them. )

Wycl and he say hem trauelynge in rowyng; for the wynde was contrarie to hem. And aboute the fourthe wakynge of the nyyt, he wandride on the see, and cam to hem, and wolde passe hem.
(and he say hem travailing in rowing; for the wind was contrary to hem. And about the forth waking of the night, he wandered on the sea, and came to hem, and would pass hem.)

Luth Und er sah, daß sie Not litten im Rudern; denn der Wind war ihnen entgegen. Und um die vierte Wache der Nacht kam er zu ihnen und wandelte auf dem Meer.
(And he saw, that they/she/them emergency suffered in_the rowing; because/than the/of_the wind what/which to_them in_contrast_to. And around/by/for the fourth watch(n) the/of_the night came he to/for to_them and walked on/in/to to_him sea.)

ClVg Et videns eos laborantes in remigando (erat enim ventus contrarius eis) et circa quartam vigiliam noctis venit ad eos ambulans supra mare: et volebat præterire eos.[fn]
(And seeing them working_people in/into/on rowing (was because wind(n) opposite/reverse to_them) and around/about fourth vigil/watch(n)m of_the_night he_came to them walking above the_sea: and wanted to_pass_by them. )

6.48 Et circa quartam. BEDA. Stationes et vigiliæ militares, horarum spatio dividuntur: patet ergo eos, etc., usque ad Lucifer namque tres horas noctis, id est, totam vigiliam matutinam illuminare dicitur. Et volebat præterire eos. ID. Ut ad horam, scilicet, conturbati: sed continuo liberati, plus liberationis suæ miraculum stuperent, et ereptori suo, etc., usque ad Cum ambulaveris in igne, non combureris, et flamma non ardebit in te;

6.48 And around/about fourth. BEDA. Stationes and vigiliæ militares, hours spatio they_are_divided: clear therefore them, etc., until to Lucifer for_indeed/truly three hours of_the_night, that it_is, the_whole vigil/watch(n)m morningm to_illuminate it_is_said. And wanted to_pass_by them. ID. As to an_hour, namely, troubled: but continuously liberated, plus liberationis his/her_own miracle stuperent, and ereptori his_own, etc., until to Since you_will_walk in/into/on with_fire, not/no combureris, and flame not/no will_burn in/into/on you(sg);

UGNT καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν, ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς; καὶ περὶ τετάρτην φυλακὴν τῆς νυκτὸς, ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς, περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς.
(kai idōn autous basanizomenous en tōi elaunein, aʸn gar ho anemos enantios autois; kai peri tetartaʸn fulakaʸn taʸs nuktos, erⱪetai pros autous, peripatōn epi taʸs thalassaʸs, kai aʸthelen parelthein autous.)

SBL-GNT καὶ ⸀ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν, ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος ⸀αὐτοῖς, περὶ τετάρτην φυλακὴν τῆς νυκτὸς ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης· καὶ ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς.
(kai ⸀idōn autous basanizomenous en tōi elaunein, aʸn gar ho anemos enantios ⸀autois, peri tetartaʸn fulakaʸn taʸs nuktos erⱪetai pros autous peripatōn epi taʸs thalassaʸs; kai aʸthelen parelthein autous.)

RP-GNT Καὶ εἶδεν αὐτοὺς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν, ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς, καὶ περὶ τετάρτην φυλακὴν τῆς νυκτὸς ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτούς, περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης· καὶ ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς.
(Kai eiden autous basanizomenous en tōi elaunein, aʸn gar ho anemos enantios autois, kai peri tetartaʸn fulakaʸn taʸs nuktos erⱪetai pros autous, peripatōn epi taʸs thalassaʸs; kai aʸthelen parelthein autous.)

TC-GNT Καὶ [fn]εἶδεν αὐτοὺς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν, ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς, [fn]καὶ περὶ τετάρτην φυλακὴν τῆς νυκτὸς ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτούς, περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης· καὶ ἤθελε παρελθεῖν αὐτούς.
(Kai eiden autous basanizomenous en tōi elaunein, aʸn gar ho anemos enantios autois, kai peri tetartaʸn fulakaʸn taʸs nuktos erⱪetai pros autous, peripatōn epi taʸs thalassaʸs; kai aʸthele parelthein autous. )

6:48 ειδεν ¦ ιδων ANT CT

6:48 και ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:45–52: Jesus walked on the water of the lake

This section tells about another miracle that showed Jesus’ power. After he fed the five thousand men, Jesus urged his disciples to get into their boat and go to the other side of the lake. Then during the night he came to them while they were still in the boat on the lake. He walked to them on the surface of the water and climbed into the boat with them.

There are several ways to divide this section into paragraphs:

Two paragraphs (as in the GNT)
6:45–50a
6:50b–52
Three paragraphs (as in the BSB, NIV, RSV, CEV, NLT)
6:45–46
6:47–50a
6:50b–52
One paragraph (as in the NJB, NET, ESV)
6:45–52

You should divide this section into paragraphs in a way that is natural in your language. The Notes and Display follow option (a).

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here is another possible heading for this section:

Jesus walks on the water

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 14:22–23 and John 6:15–21.

6:48a

He could see that the disciples were straining to row,

He saw the disciples working hard to row the boat,
He looked down and saw that his followers were struggling to move the boat forward,

He could see that the disciples: According to 6:46b, Jesus went up on the mountain to pray. Here the context implies that Jesus paused in his praying and looked out toward the lake to see how the disciples were doing.Even though it was night, there was probably enough moonlight for Jesus to see the disciples on the lake. Only a few commentators think that this was a “supernatural seeing from afar.” (Clarke quoted in Mark: A Portrait of the Servant by Hiebert, page 165.) In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit some of this information.

In some languages there are also specific words for “look downward” and “look from a distance.” If your language uses specific words like these, it may be appropriate to use one of them here. For example:

When Jesus looked down at the disciples, he saw that they were straining…

straining to row: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as straining to row is more literally “distressed while rowing.” It indicates that the disciples were working/straining very hard to try to move the boat forward.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

having trouble rowing the boat

struggling hard to row the boat (NCV)

6:48b

because the wind was against them.

because the wind was blowing against/at them.
because there was a strong wind blowing the wrong way.

the wind was against them: The phrase the wind was against them indicates that the wind was blowing against the front of the boat. The wind was so strong that the disciples were not able to move the boat across the lake.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the wind was blowing towards them

the wind was meeting them

they were going against the wind (GW)

General Comment on 6:48a–b

In some languages it may be natural to put the information that the disciples were rowing in 6:48b. For example, the CEV says:

^48aHe could see that the disciples were struggling hard, ^48bbecause they were rowing against the wind.

General Comment on 6:48a–b

In this verse, 6:48b expresses the reason for the result in 6:48a. In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:

^48bThe wind was blowing against them; ^48athat is why they were straining at the oars. Jesus saw all this.

6:48c

About the fourth watch of the night,

As the night was ending
Before dawn/daybreak

About the fourth watch of the night: The fourth watch of the night was the period between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning. At that time, people considered night to be from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. The Romans divided the night into four periods of time. Each period was three hours long. Soldiers took turns guarding (watching) for one period. So the fourth watch was the three-hour period before dawn.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Not long before morning (CEV)

between three and six o’clock in the morning (GNT)

As the night was ending (NET)

Before dawn/daybreak

If your language has a specific expression or idiom for this time of day, consider using it here.

6:48d

Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.

he went toward them, walking on the lake/water.
he went down the mountain and walked on the surface of the water to approach them.

Jesus went out to them: Jesus had been up on the mountain. Before he could walk out to the disciples, he first had to walk downhill to the shore. In some languages it may be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

he walked/went down the mountain and went out to them

walking on the sea: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as walking on the sea indicates that Jesus was walking on top of the water. This was a miracle.

In some languages, verbs such as walking are also used to mean “swimming,” and prepositions such as on can also mean “in.” If this is true in your language, you will need to clarify what Jesus was doing. For example:

walking on the surface of the water

6:48e

He intended to pass by them,

He was going to pass by them; (REB)
He looked as though he intended/wanted to continue walking past them.

He intended to pass by them: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as He intended to pass by them is literally “He wanted to go past them.” Jesus was walking as though he intended to walk past the boat without stopping.A note on 6:48 in the NET says, “The statement ‘he wanted to pass by them’ is somewhat difficult to understand. There are at least two common interpretations: (1) it refers to the perspective of the disciples, that is, from their point of view it seemed that Jesus wanted to pass by them; or (2) it refers to a theophany and uses the language of the Greek Old Testament (LXX) when God “passed by” Moses at Sinai (cf. Exod 33.19, 22). According to the latter alternative, Jesus is “passing by” the disciples during their struggle, in order to assure them of his presence with them. See W. L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 236.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

He intended to pass by them (NASB)

He was going to pass by them (REB)

He would have passed by them

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

αὐτοὺς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν, ἦν γὰρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς; καὶ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἰδών αὐτούς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν ἦν γάρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς περί τετάρτην φυλακήν τῆς νυκτός ἔρχεται πρός αὐτούς περιπατῶν ἐπί τῆς θαλάσσης καί ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these clauses, since the second clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. Alternate translation: [that the wind was against them and so they were being tormented as they rowed,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

αὐτοὺς βασανιζομένους

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it was the wind. Alternate translation: [the wind tormenting them]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

βασανιζομένους

˓being˒_tormented

Here Mark refers to how hard the disciples were working to row the boat against the wind as if they were being tormented. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [working very hard] or [making almost no progress]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν

in the_‹time› ˓to_be˒_rowing

When people row a boat, they stick long, flat pieces of wood, called oars, into the water and push or pull so that the boat moves. If your readers would not be familiar with this way of making a boat move, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [as they pushed the boat along with oars] or [as they worked to move the boat]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἦν & ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς

was & the wind contrary ˱to˲_them

Whenwind is against people in a boat, that means that it is blowing directly opposite to the direction in which the boat is traveling. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [the wind was opposite to the direction they were sailing] or [the wind was blowing directly against them]

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

περὶ τετάρτην φυλακὴν τῆς νυκτὸς

Here, the phrase about the fourth watch of the night refers to the period of time between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that refers to this period of time. Alternate translation: [in the last part of the night] or [shortly before dawn]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / go

ἔρχεται

˱he˲_˓is˒_coming

In a context such as this, your language might say “goes” instead of comes. Alternate translation: [he goes]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης

walking (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἰδών αὐτούς βασανιζομένους ἐν τῷ ἐλαύνειν ἦν γάρ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐναντίος αὐτοῖς περί τετάρτην φυλακήν τῆς νυκτός ἔρχεται πρός αὐτούς περιπατῶν ἐπί τῆς θαλάσσης καί ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς)

Here Mark means that Jesus was miraculously walking on the surface of the sea. He did not sink into the water. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [walking on the surface of the sea] or [miraculously walking on top of the sea]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἤθελεν παρελθεῖν αὐτούς

˓was˒_wanting ˓to˒_pass_by them

Here, the clause he was wishing to pass by them could indicate that: (1) Jesus intended to walk past them. Alternate translation: [he intended to pass them by] (2) it looked like Jesus was going to walk past them. Alternate translation: [he was about to pass by them] or [it looked like he was going to pass by them]

Parallel MARK 6:48

Section 6:45–52: Jesus walked on the water of the lake

6:48a

6:48b

General Comment on 6:48a–b

General Comment on 6:48a–b

6:48c

6:48d

6:48e