Mark 1 · Verse 26

Mark 1:26

And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mark 1:26, King James Version

Mark 1:26 in other translations

BSBAt this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.
WEBThe unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.
ASVAnd the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.
YLTand the unclean spirit having torn him, and having cried with a great voice, came forth out of him,
DARBYAnd the unclean spirit, having torn him, and uttered a cry with a loud voice, came out of him.
BBEAnd the unclean spirit, shaking him violently, and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.
WebsterAnd when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

What does Mark 1:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. And when the unclean spirit had torn him--Luke (Lu 4:35) says, "When he had thrown him in the midst." Malignant cruelty--just showing what he would have done, if permitted to go farther: it was a last fling! and cried with a loud voice--the voice of enforced submission and despair. he came out of him--Luke (Lu 4:35) adds, "and hurt him not." Thus impotent were the malignity and rage of the impure spirit when under the restraint of "the Stronger than the strong one armed" (Lu 11:21, 22).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. And when the unclean spirit, etc. Still malignant, though doomed to obey--submitting because he was obliged to, not because he chose--he exerted his last power, inflicted all the pain he could, and then bowed to the Son of God, and came out. This is the nature of an evil disposition. Though compelled to obey, though prevented by the command and Providence of God from doing what it would, yet, in seeming to obey, it does all the ill it can, and makes even the appearance of obedience the occasion for increased crime and mischief.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him - And had thrown him down in the midst, Luk 4:35, και σπαραξαν, and convulsed him. Never was there a person possessed by an unclean spirit who did not suffer a convulsion, perhaps a total ruin of nature by it. Sins of uncleanness, as the apostle intimates, are against the body; they sap the foundation of life, so that there are very few of this class, whether male or female, that live out half their days: they generally die martyrs to their lusts. When the propensities of the flesh are most violent in a person who is determined to serve God, it is often a proof that these are the last efforts of the impure spirit, who has great rages because he knows his time is but short.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 1:23-28

The devil is an unclean spirit, because he has lost all the purity of his nature, because he acts in direct opposition to the Holy Spirit of God, and by his suggestions defiles the spirits of men. There are many in our assemblies who quietly attend under merely formal teachers; but if the Lord come with faithful ministers and holy doctrine, and by his convincing Spirit, they are ready to say, like this man, What…

Read the full comment on Mark 1:23-28 →

Mark 1:26 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
σπαράξανsparaxanhaving thrown into convulsionsG4682
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
τὸtotheG3588
πνεῦμαpneumaspiritG4151
τὸto<the>G3588
ἀκάθαρτονakathartonuncleanG169
καὶkaiandG2532
φωνῆσανphōnēsanhaving shoutedG5455
φωνῇphōnēain a voiceG5456
μεγάλῃmegalēloudG3173
ἐξῆλθενexēlthenit came forthG1831
ἐξexout ofG1537
αὐτοῦ.autouhim.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 1:26

  • Mark 9:26

    And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

  • Mark 9:20

    And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

  • Luke 11:22

    But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

  • Luke 9:39

    And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

  • Luke 9:42

    And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
torn.
9:20,26; Lu 9:39,42; 11:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 1:25

    And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

  • Mark 1:26

    And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

  • Mark 1:27

    And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Read all of Mark 1

Mark 1:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el espíritu inmundo, haciéndole pedazos, y clamando á gran voz, salió de él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’esprit immonde, l’ayant déchiré et ayant crié à haute voix, sortit de lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der unreine Geist zerrte ihn und rief mit lauter Stimme und fuhr von ihm aus.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et discerpens eum spiritus immundus, et exclamans voce magna, exiit ab eo.