Jesus Predicts His Death and Calls Disciples to Take Up the Cross
Mark 8:31-9:1
Mark.8.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ηρξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- διδασκειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- δει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- πολλα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- παθειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- αποδοκιμασθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- υπο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πρεσβυτερων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αρχιερεων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- γραμματεων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αποκτανθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- και: CONJ
- μετα: PREP
- τρεις: NUM,acc,pl,f
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- αναστηναι·: VERB,aor,act,inf
Parallels
- Matthew 16:21 (verbal): Nearly identical prediction: Jesus begins to explain that the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise after three days.
- Luke 9:22 (verbal): Parallel wording: Jesus tells the disciples the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise on the third day.
- Mark 9:31 (structural): A closely related passion prediction later in Mark repeating the motifs of being handed over, killed, and rising after three days.
- Mark 10:33-34 (structural): An expanded prediction in Mark that adds details (mocking, scourging, death) while preserving the core sequence of suffering, death, and resurrection after three days.
- Isaiah 53:3-5 (allusion): The Suffering Servant passage thematically parallels Jesus’ prediction of rejection, suffering, and vicarious suffering—an Old Testament backdrop for the passion motifs.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
- And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Mark.8.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παρρησια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- λογον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ελαλει: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- προσλαβομενος: VERB,pres,mid,ptc,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Πετρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ηρξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- επιτιμαν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 16:22 (verbal): Almost identical wording — Peter takes Jesus aside and begins to rebuke him after Jesus predicts his passion.
- Matthew 16:23 (structural): Immediate Matthean continuation: Jesus sharply rebukes Peter ('Get behind me, Satan'), showing the clash over Jesus' mission.
- Mark 8:31 (structural): The preceding verse in Mark in which Jesus predicts his suffering, death, and resurrection — the teaching that elicits Peter's rebuke in 8:32.
- Luke 9:22 (thematic): Luke’s parallel prediction of the Son of Man’s suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection; parallels the teaching that provokes Peter’s response (Luke omits Peter’s rebuke).
- Isaiah 53:3-5 (thematic): Prophetic depiction of the suffering, rejected servant whose wounds and rejection correspond to Jesus’ predicted suffering — the theological backdrop to Peter’s inability to accept such a fate.
Alternative generated candidates
- He said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
- And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Mark.8.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- επιστραφεις: PART,aor,pass,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ιδων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- μαθητας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- επετιμησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- Πετρω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- λεγει·Υπαγε: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg|VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- οπισω: ADV
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- Σατανα: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- φρονεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αλλα: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 16:23 (quotation): Near-verbatim parallel: Jesus rebukes Peter with the same words ('Get behind me, Satan') and the same reason—Peter is thinking not the things of God but of men.
- Matthew 4:10 (verbal): Identical formula used earlier in the temptation narrative ('Away with you/Satan, get behind me'), linking Jesus' rejection of Satan's influence to his rejection of Peter's opposing counsel.
- Isaiah 55:8 (thematic): The contrast between divine and human thinking ('my thoughts are not your thoughts') provides a prophetic backdrop for Jesus' indictment that Peter is thinking the things of men, not God's.
- Romans 8:5 (thematic): Paul's contrast between minds set on the flesh versus the Spirit echoes Jesus' distinction between thinking God's purposes and human concerns—underscoring competing orientations of mind.
Alternative generated candidates
- But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God but on the things of men."
- But he turned and, seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.'
Mark.8.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- προσκαλεσαμενος: VERB,aor,mid,ptc,nom,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οχλον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- συν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- μαθηταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Ει: PRON,dat,pl,m,3
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- θελει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- οπισω: ADV
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- ελθειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- απαρνησασθω: VERB,aor,mid,imp,3,sg
- εαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,masc,reflex
- και: CONJ
- αρατω: VERB,aor,act,imp,3,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- σταυρον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ακολουθειτω: VERB,pres,act,imp,3,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
Parallels
- Matthew 16:24 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Jesus calls disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him (same tripartite command repeated).
- Luke 9:23 (verbal): Close verbal parallel: Jesus announces that anyone who wishes to follow him must deny self, take up cross daily, and follow (adds 'daily' but same core demand).
- Matthew 10:38-39 (thematic): Related teaching on self-denial and losing/keeping life: taking up the cross and losing one's life for Jesus' sake is juxtaposed with finding true life.
- Luke 14:27 (verbal): Directly echoes the requirement to carry one's cross to be Jesus' disciple; emphasizes the indispensability of self-sacrifice for discipleship.
- John 12:25-26 (thematic): Develops the theme of 'losing' one's life for Jesus' sake and the necessity of following Jesus (servanthood and attendant honor from the Father).
Alternative generated candidates
- And he called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
- And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.'
Mark.8.35 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- εαν: CONJ
- θελη: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ψυχην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- σωσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- απολεσει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτην·ος: PRON,acc,sg,f
- δ᾽αν: PART,δε+αν
- απολεσει: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ψυχην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ενεκεν: PREP,gen
- εμου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ευαγγελιου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- σωσει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Matthew 16:25 (verbal): Near-identical saying: whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for Jesus' sake will find/save it; same argument in Matthew's version of the pericope.
- Luke 9:24 (verbal): Close parallel in Luke's account of the same saying: losing one's life for Jesus' sake leads to saving/finding it; parallels Mark's wording and context.
- Matthew 10:39 (verbal): Similar formulaic contrast (whoever finds his life will lose it; whoever loses his life for my sake will find it) used earlier in Matthew, expressing the same paradox of discipleship.
- John 12:25 (thematic): Echoes the same theme: loving/holding onto one's life leads to loss, while surrendering it (even in death) yields eternal life—a Johannine parallel on self-denial and eternal life.
Alternative generated candidates
- For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.
- For whoever would save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.
Mark.8.36 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- γαρ: PART
- ωφελει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ανθρωπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- κερδησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κοσμον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ολον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ζημιωθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ψυχην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 16:26 (verbal): Nearly word-for-word parallel in Matthew: asks what profit there is in gaining the whole world but losing one's soul.
- Luke 9:25 (verbal): Synoptic parallel with slightly different wording—same rhetorical question about gaining the world at the cost of oneself (soul/self).
- Mark 8:37 (structural): Immediate continuation of the pericope in Mark: poses the complementary question of what one can give in return for his soul, reinforcing the contrast between worldly gain and the soul's value.
- Luke 12:15-21 (thematic): Parable of the rich fool: warns against storing up worldly wealth while losing one's life—thematically echoes the futility of worldly gain at the expense of the soul.
- Psalm 49:7-9 (allusion): Old Testament reflection that wealth cannot ransom a life or redeem the soul; thematically parallels the impossibility of buying back one's soul despite worldly riches.
Alternative generated candidates
- For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
- For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
Mark.8.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- γαρ: PART
- δοι: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ανταλλαγμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ψυχης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 16:26 (verbal): Nearly identical teaching and wording—asks what a man will gain or give in exchange for his soul, contrasting worldly gain with the value of the soul.
- Luke 9:25 (verbal): Parallel version in Luke with the same rhetorical question about what a person gains if he wins the world but loses or harms his soul.
- Mark 8:35 (structural): Immediate context in Mark: the saying about losing one's life to save it and denying oneself precedes 8:37, framing the contrast between earthly preservation/gain and the true value of the soul.
- Psalm 49:7-9 (LXX/MT) (allusion): Old Testament background theme: no ransom can redeem a human soul—the motif of ransom/exchange for the soul provides theological resonance to Jesus' question about what could be given in exchange for one's life.
Alternative generated candidates
- For what can a man give in return for his soul?
- For what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark.8.38 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- εαν: CONJ
- επαισχυνθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- εμους: PRON,poss,acc,pl,1
- λογους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- γενεα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ταυτη: PRO,dat,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- μοιχαλιδι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- αμαρτωλω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- επαισχυνθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- οταν: CONJ
- ελθη: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- δοξη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- πατρος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- μετα: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αγγελων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αγιων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 10:33 (verbal): Parallel saying in the Synoptic tradition: whoever denies/ is ashamed of Jesus will be denied before the Father; closely matches content and warning.
- Luke 9:26 (verbal): Lucan parallel to Mark 8:38 with nearly identical wording about being ashamed of Jesus and his words and the Son of Man being ashamed when he comes in glory.
- Matthew 25:31 (verbal): Shares the imagery of the Son of Man coming in his glory accompanied by angels, linking Mark's eschatological coming with Matthean judgment scene.
- Romans 1:16 (thematic): Contrasts Mark's negative admonition by Paul’s declaration 'I am not ashamed of the gospel,' addressing the theme of shame/faithfulness to the message of Christ.
- 2 Timothy 1:8 (verbal): Echoes the call not to be ashamed of the testimony about Christ (or of the testimony about our Lord), reinforcing the pastoral exhortation found in Mark 8:38.
Alternative generated candidates
- For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
- For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Mark.9.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ελεγεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Αμην: PRON,dat,pl,m
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- οτι: CONJ
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ωδε: ADV
- εστηκοτων: PART,perf,act,gen,pl,m
- οιτινες: PRO,rel,nom,pl,m
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- γευσωνται: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,pl
- θανατου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εως: CONJ
- αν: PART
- ιδωσιν: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- βασιλειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εληλυθυιαν: PART,perf,act,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- δυναμει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Matthew 16:28 (verbal): Nearly identical saying about 'some standing here will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom'—close verbal parallel and shared saying tradition.
- Luke 9:27 (verbal): Luke records the same promise with similar wording ('some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God'), another synoptic parallel.
- Mark 9:2-8 (structural): The immediate narrative fulfillment in Mark: the Transfiguration where Jesus' glory is revealed—interpreted as seeing the kingdom of God 'come with power.'
- 2 Peter 1:16-18 (allusion): Peter appeals to eyewitness testimony of Jesus' majesty at the Transfiguration, linking the apostles' seeing of Jesus' glory to the Mark/Luke/Matthew promise.
- Daniel 7:13-14 (thematic): The vision of the 'one like a son of man' coming with authority and receiving an everlasting kingdom provides an Old Testament background for 'the kingdom of God coming with power.'
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power."
- And he said to them, 'Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.'
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.' And he summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.'
For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?
For what can a man give in exchange for his life?
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. And he said to them, 'Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power.'