Jesus Heals a Deaf Man Who Could Not Speak Clearly
Mark 7:31-37
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Mark.7.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- παλιν: ADV
- εξελθων: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- εκ: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οριων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- Τυρου: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δια: PREP
- Σιδωνος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ανα: PREP
- μεσον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οριων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- Δεκαπολεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 7:24 (structural): Immediate context in the same chapter: Jesus enters the region of Tyre (Mark 7:24), which sets up his subsequent departure 'again' from that region in 7:31.
- Matthew 15:21 (verbal): Parallel Synoptic account: Matthew likewise reports Jesus withdrawing to the region of Tyre and Sidon (setting for the Syrophoenician episode), corresponding to Mark's movement through those areas.
- Mark 5:1 (thematic): Both passages depict Jesus crossing the sea into predominantly Gentile regions (Mark 5:1 to the Gerasenes; Mark 7:31 toward the Decapolis), highlighting ministry beyond Jewish territory.
- Matthew 4:25 (thematic): Matthew lists Galilee and the Decapolis among the regions associated with Jesus' ministry, echoing Mark 7:31's geographic reference to the Sea of Galilee and the Decapolis.
- Luke 6:17 (thematic): Luke links Jesus' ministry with people coming from Tyre and Sidon, paralleling Mark's movement through those Phoenician locales in 7:31.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he went away from there and came to the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee, passing through the midst of the region called Decapolis.
- And he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the region of the Decapolis.
Mark.7.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- φερουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- κωφον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- μογιλαλον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- παρακαλουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ινα: CONJ
- επιθη: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- χειρα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Matthew 15:30-31 (structural): Parallel pericope: crowds bring many disabled (including mute) to Jesus and he heals them — Matthew’s account corresponds to Mark 7:31–37 as a parallel narrative of Jesus’ healings in that region.
- Mark 9:25-27 (thematic): Another Markan healing of a boy who was mute/afflicted; both passages depict Jesus restoring speech and demonstrate similar motifs of miraculous affliction and restoration.
- Isaiah 35:5-6 (allusion): Prophetic language about opening the ears of the deaf and loosing the tongue of the mute closely echoes the result of Jesus’ healing (Mark 7:34–35), presenting the miracle as fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise.
- Matthew 12:22 (thematic): Healing of a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute — thematically related in its emphasis on Jesus’ power to restore hearing and speech and to liberate those afflicted.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
- And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
Mark.7.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- απολαβομενος: PTCP,aor,mid,nom,m,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- απο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- οχλου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- κατ᾽ιδιαν: ADV
- εβαλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- δακτυλους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- ωτα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- πτυσας: PTCP,aor,act,nom,m,sg
- ηψατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γλωσσης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 7:34 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same pericope: Jesus looks up, sighs, and speaks 'Ephphatha' ('Be opened'), completing the healing begun by touching the man's ears and tongue.
- Mark 8:23-25 (verbal): Another Markan healing where Jesus uses touch and spitting on the eyes of a blind man; the two accounts share the motif of spitting/touch and a staged or physical method of healing.
- John 9:6-7 (verbal): Jesus uses spittle and physical application (making mud and anointing the blind man's eyes) followed by a command to effect healing — a parallel in means (spitting + touch) though in a different narrative context.
- Isaiah 35:5-6 (thematic): Prophetic promise that 'the ears of the deaf shall be opened and the tongue of the mute sing for joy' — Mark’s miracle echoes and thematically fulfills Isaiah’s language about opening ears and loosening tongues.
Alternative generated candidates
- And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into the man's ears, and he spat and touched the man's tongue.
- And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue;
Mark.7.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αναβλεψας: PART,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ουρανον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εστεναξεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Εφφαθα: PRON,dat,sg,3,m+VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- Διανοιχθητι·: VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,sg
Parallels
- Mark 5:41 (verbal): Jesus speaks an Aramaic command ('Talitha koum') and Mark supplies a translation—parallels the Aramaic word 'Ephphatha' and Mark's gloss ('Be opened').
- John 11:41-44 (structural): Jesus looks up to heaven, utters words that accomplish a wonder (raising Lazarus); sequence of looking up/prayer/groan and then a commanding word resembles Mark's scene.
- Luke 7:14 (verbal): Jesus addresses a person with a direct imperative ('Young man, I say to you, arise'), comparable to the authoritative spoken command 'Be opened' that effects healing.
- Isaiah 35:5-6 (thematic): The prophetic promise that 'the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped' thematically anticipates Jesus' opening of the deaf man's ears and loosening his tongue.
- Matthew 11:5 (allusion): Jesus' summary of messianic signs ('the blind receive their sight... the deaf hear... the dead are raised') echoes the significance of miraculous healings like the Ephphatha episode as evidence of the kingdom.
Alternative generated candidates
- And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, 'Ephphatha'—that is, 'Be opened.'
- and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'
Mark.7.35 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ηνοιγησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- ακοαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- ελυθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δεσμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γλωσσης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ελαλει: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ορθως·: ADV
Parallels
- Isaiah 35:5-6 (allusion): Prophetic expectation of sensory restoration: 'the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped... and the tongue of the mute will sing'—Mark's miracle echoes this language and motif.
- Isaiah 29:18 (thematic): Speaks of a future in which 'the deaf will hear the words of a book'—thematically parallels the restoration of hearing and speech in Mark's healing.
- Matthew 12:22 (thematic): A parallel healing/exorcism in Matthew where a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute is restored; both texts link the removal of obstruction (demon/affliction) with regained sight/speech.
- Mark 9:25-26 (verbal): Another Markan exorcism/healing where the afflicted boy's muteness and convulsions cease when the spirit departs—similar language of immediate restoration and the return of speech.
- Matthew 15:30-31 (structural): A closely related pericope describing large crowds bringing the sick (including the deaf and mute) to Jesus and their subsequent healing—parallels Mark 7's placement of the deaf-mute miracle within broader public healings.
Alternative generated candidates
- Immediately the man's ears were opened, the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
- And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
Mark.7.36 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- διεστειλατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ινα: CONJ
- μηδενι: PRON,dat,sg,n
- λεγωσιν·οσον: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- δε: CONJ
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- διεστελλετο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- αυτοι: PRON,nom,pl,3
- μαλλον: ADV
- περισσοτερον: ADV,comp
- εκηρυσσον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Mark 1:44 (verbal): After healing a leper Jesus sternly charged him to tell no one — nearly identical injunction and wording (the secrecy/’Messianic secret’ motif).
- Mark 9:9 (verbal): After the Transfiguration Jesus charged the disciples not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man’s resurrection — same command to silence, with an added temporal restriction.
- Mark 8:30 (verbal): Jesus ordered the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ — another instance in Mark where Jesus commands silence about his identity or deeds.
- Luke 8:56 (verbal): After raising Jairus’s daughter Jesus strictly charged them to tell no one what had happened — parallel instance of a private miracle followed by a command to secrecy.
- Matthew 12:16 (thematic): Matthew reports Jesus charging people not to make him known after healing many — thematically parallel (curbing public proclamation despite visible miracles).
Alternative generated candidates
- And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he warned them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
- And he charged them that they should tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
Mark.7.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- υπερπερισσως: ADV
- εξεπλησσοντο: VERB,impf,mid/pass,ind,3,pl
- λεγοντες·Καλως: VERB,pres,act,ptcp,nom,pl,m
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- πεποιηκεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- κωφους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- ποιει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ακουειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- αλαλους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- λαλειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- Matthew 15:30-31 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Matthew records the same sequence of healings and the crowd's acclamation — “He has done all things well; he makes the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.”
- Isaiah 35:5-6 (thematic): Prophetic background: Isaiah promises that the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped, and the lame and mute will be restored — language echoed in Gospel healings as fulfillment.
- Luke 7:22 (allusion): Jesus' reply to John the Baptist lists the same categories of miraculous restoration — “the deaf hear… the dead are raised” — linking his works to messianic fulfillment (paralleling Mark’s crowd confession).
- Acts 3:9-10 (structural): Parallel in aftermath and response: after Peter heals the lame man, the crowd is filled with wonder and praises God — similar amazement and public acclaim following Jesus’ miraculous healings in Mark 7:37.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they were utterly astonished, saying, 'He has done all things well; he makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak.'
- And they were utterly astonished, saying, 'He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.'
And he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, the bond of his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."