Lectionary Year B
February 9, 2003
Mark 1:29-39
Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation
A. Comparing Translations
(JFC) The English Standard Version of 2001 and the New Revised Standard Version
translate this text a little differently, as these notes indicate:
29 And immediately he (footnoted, Some manuscripts, they) - ESV
As soon as they - NRSV
30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, - ESV
Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, - NRSV
B. Textual Criticism
(JFC) 29 For, Kai. euvqu.j evk th/j sunagwgh/j evxelqo,ntej h=lqon, several Alexandrian Witnesses changed the verb, evxelqo,ntej, to a singular, evxelqwn. Metzger (TCGNT), admitting some of the Committee found the plural "strange", nevertheless, "a majority was inclined to favor the plural because copyists would tend to change the plural to the singular in order (a) to focus attention on Jesus, (b) to conform the reading to the parallels in Mt 8.14 and Lk 4.38, and (c) to provide a nearer antecedent for auvtw/ of ver. 30." And, a majority of significant manuscripts seem to retain the text as printed, as well.
34 The received text ends with the third person accusative (auvto,n) of the pronoun, while many Western Witnesses have additions "derived probably from the parallel in Lk 4.41 (oti hdeisan ton Criston auton einain)," according to Metzger's TCGNT, which concludes, "If any one of the longer readings had been original in Mark, there is no reason why it should have been altered or eliminated entirely." Yes, for Mark usually is the briefer in the original.
36 For the aorist, third person singular, katedi,wxen, several Alexandrian Witnesses read, katedi,wxan, a plural. However, some western editors retain the text as printed, which seems prudent, especially if the rest of the verse, kai. oi` metV auvtou/, is an after thought, as Mark could have written, as a preponderance of others seem to think.
38 For evcome,naj kwmopo,leij, "holding [present, middle, participle] towns", several Alexandrians have egguj kwmaj kai eij taj poleij. They must have sensed a need for further expansion of such settings as might explain something like, "near by towns and to the cities." Well, maybe if Capernaum had any such areas as cities then, which seems rather unlikely. So, we might well stay with the printed version as more nearly original, as do more western editors.
C. Rough Translation
(JFC) 29 And immediately from the synagogue they went out they came to the house
of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 But the mother-in-law of Simon was reclining (in bed) sick with a fever, and immediately they tell [present, active, indicative] to Him concerning her. 31 And He having come raised up her taking of/by the hand; and left her the fever, and she was serving them.
32 But late it was becoming, when set the sun, they brought to Him every kind of the sick and demon possessed; 33 and it was the whole of the city gathered together at the door. 34 And He healed many of the sick of the various kinds of illnesses/diseases and demons many He cast out and not was He allowing [imperfect] to speak the demons, because they knew Him.
35 And early before daylight very much He arose went and He went away to a lonely place there He was praying. 36 And searched for Him Simon and those with him, 37 and they found Him and they say to Him, "Many seek You." 38 And He says to them, "We should be going [present, active, subjunctive] elsewhere into the neighboring towns, so that also there I should preach [aorist, active, subjunctive], for unto this I left/came out."
39 And He came out preaching in the synagogues of theirs to all of Galilee and the evil demons He was casting out [present, active, participle].
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