Lectionary Year B
June 29, 2003
Mark 5:21-43

Step I: Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

A. Comparing Translations

(JFC) The Contemporary English Version and the New International Version differ some, as these notes specify:

22 The person in charge of the Jewish meeting place - CEV
one of the synagogue rulers - NIV

26 She had gone to many doctors, and they had not done anything except cause her a lot of pain. - CEV
She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors - NIV

29 As soon as she touched them, her bleeding stopped, and she knew she was well. - CEV
Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was free from her suffering. - NIV

34 Jesus said to the woman, "You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace! You are healed, and you will no longer be in pain." - CEV
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." - NIV

B. Textural Criticism

(JFC) 21 Several Alexandrian and other witnesses change the orders of the words, tou/ VIhsou/ Îevn tw/| ploi,w|Ð pa,lin eivj to. pe,ran, while an equal number of such reliable editors prefer different orders and/or to retain the text as printed, while still a few others have only palin hlqen eij to peran, which Metzger (TCGNT) cites as the bracketed words are in disagreement of the Committee members, called, by them, "accidental or by assimilation to the parallel Luke (8.40)" and/or "palaeographical confusion". There does seem to be some unnecessary repetitions in some of these possibilities. However, what the original text could have most likely been is still unresolved. 22 Several of the significant editions omit ovno,mati VIa,i?roj, which would obviously be shorter and therefore more likely original, yet since Mark infrequently uses proper names, it could seem original to delete it. And, the parallel in Matthew omits the name, as it does some of the rest of Mark's account. Yet, Metzger notes, that "the external evidence supporting the presence of ovno,mati VIa,i?roj is far more impressive . . . (and) it is more probable that the name Jairus was actually dropped during the transmission of part of the Western text . . . than that it was added, at the same point in the narrative, in all the other textual groups including the Alexandrian the rest of the Western and Eastern and the Caesarean . . ." Vincent Taylor suggests that Mark might have had the name in his source(s) and still decided to omit it from his manuscript. So, perhaps here the name is acceptable to keep as original, even though verse 35f, 38 and 40 haven't it there. 23 Some of the reliable editors have an imperfect, parekalei, instead of the printed indicative, kai. parakalei/, and others have a participle, parakalwn, and one evidently adds a, kai., while many also retain the printed version. Perhaps Mark's usual haste and condensing accounts would see the first option as more nearly original. Still the other two options are literarily acceptable for this part of this story and they both express more urgency, which we could expect from the lips of a father with a sick child. 26 Instead of parV auvth/j, several redactors read, eauthj only or par eauthj, making it seem more personal, which Mark does do some in the rest of this particular pericope. So, either option could seem original although since as many reliable witnesses retain the received text, that, too, is just as likely to have been original. 27 Metzger contends, "The reading with ta, (i.e. avkou,sasa ta, peri. tou/ VIhsou/) appears to be an Alexandrian refinement." Only a few witnesses suggest this word be added while many more retain the Textus Receptus. So, it therefore seems not to be original. However, it adds very little length to the sentence and might clarify something about what she heard rather than merely about whom she had heard (it). 30 For e;legen, a few but significant Alexandrian and other western witnesses change the word to eipen, meaning much the same thing, but the change is from an imperfect to an imperative, which confuses the issue. No record of those retaining the printed text, but it seems prudent to do so. 33 A few witnesses add, dio pepoihkei laqra, "therefore making [perfect, active, indicative] secretly" at the end of the first phrase in this verse. While such an addition might clarify the woman's action's attitudes and atmospheres, it almost seems to contradict what some of the rest of the context describes. So, it seems unlikely original. 36 Several witness replace parakou,saj, with akousaj, or euqewj akousaj, seemingly to try to soften Jesus' wanting to emphasize more good news than bad. It's an admirable attempt, but such an alteration diminishes the drama here and therefore is unlikely to be original. Besides, equally dependable redactors retain the printed text. Metzger notes the "ambiguity of parakou,saj ('ignoring' or 'overhearing') led to the replacement . . . by the Lukan parallel akousaj (Lk 8.50)". 37 Several witnesses replace ouvde,na metV auvtou/ sunakolouqh/sa, with ouvde,na autw sunakolouqh/sa or just ouvde,na autw, or parakolouqh//sa, seemingly more attempts to soften the actions reported, while just as many editors retain the printed text. 40 A few of the reliable witnesses want to identify Jesus about whom this verse says is doing the expelling of the mocking crowd by changing auvto.j de., to o de Ihsouj, while even more reliables retain the received text. Then, several manuscripts add at the end of the verse, anakeimenon or kanakeimenon which are unwarranted, since a similar sketch is in the next verse. And a larger majority of witnesses retains the text as received.

C. Rough Translation

(JFC) 21 And crossing over the Jesus [in the boat] again to the other side there was gathered a crowd many unto Him, and He was beside the sea/lake. 22 And came one of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, and seeing Him he fell at the feet of Him 23 and he begs/requests/asks [present] Him much saying that, "The daughter of mine very sick/be dying has, in order Your coming You could lay on the hands of Yours and she would be saved and live." 24 And He went with him. And was following [imperfect] a crowd great and was crowding/pressing upon Him. 25 And a woman was there in hemorrhaging in blood twelve years 26 and much suffering under many physicians and she spent what for her was all and nothing was gained/profited but more unto the worse she appeared, 27 she had heard about the Jesus, she came in the crowd up from behind and touched the garment of His; 28 for she said "If I take hold of even the garment of His I shall be saved/made well." 29 And immediately ceased the flow of the blood of her and she knew in the body that (she was) cured from the illness. 30 And immediately the Jesus knew in Himself that from Himself power went out (and) turning around in the crowd He said, "Who of Mine touched the clothing?" 31 And said to Him the disciples of His, "You see the crowd pressing in upon You and You say, "Who of Me touched'?" 32 And He looked around to see who this had done. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing [perfect, active, participle] what happening to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him all the story. 34 And He said to her, "Daughter the faith of yours has cured/saved you; go in peace and stay well of the illness of yours." 35 Still of Him speaking there came from the synagogue official saying that the daughter of yours died; why further trouble the teacher?" 36 But the Jesus was refusing to listen/pay attention to the message they were speaking (so) He says to the synagogue official, "Not fear [present, middle or passive, imperative], only believe [present, active, imperative]." 37 And not allowed anyone with Him to follow except the Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 And they come [present, middle or passive, indicative] to the house of the synagogue official, and He sees [present, active, indicative] confusion and crying/weeping and wailing loudly, 39 and entering He says to them, "Why are you stirred up and crying? The child not died but sleeps." 40 And they laughed [imperfect] at Him. But He expelled all taking along the father of the child and the mother and those with Him and He came in where was the child. 41 And took hold of the hand of the child He said to her, "Talitha cum", which is translated, "The girl, to you I say, 'Get up'." 42 And immediately got up the girl and was walking [imperfect]; for she was years twelve. And were surprised/amazed in amazement great/large. 43 And He ordered them much so that no one should know this, and He said to give her to eat.



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