Mark 3 · Verse 20

Mark 3:20

And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
Mark 3:20, King James Version

Mark 3:20 in other translations

BSBThen Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.
WEBThe multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
ASVAnd the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
YLTAnd come together again doth a multitude, so that they are not able even to eat bread;
DARBYAnd again a crowd comes together, so that they cannot even eat bread.
BBEAnd he went into a house. And the people came together again, so that they were not even able to take bread.
WebsterAnd the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

What does Mark 3:20 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. They could not so much as eat bread. Their time and attention were so occupied, that they were obliged to forego their regular meals. The affairs of religion may so occupy the attention of ministers, and others, as to destroy their relish for the ordinary comforts and employments of life, and prevent their engaging in their customary pursuits. Religion is all-important--far more important than the ordinary business of this life; and there is nothing unreasonable if our temporal affairs sometimes give way to the higher interests of our own souls, and the souls of others. At the same time, it is true that religion is ordinarily consistent with a close attention to worldly business, It promotes industry, economy, order, neatness, and punctuality--all indispensable to worldly prosperity. Of these there has been no more illustrious example than that of our Saviour himself.

(o) "so that they" Mk 6:31

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Eat bread - Had no time to take any necessary refreshment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 3:13-21

Christ calls whom he will; for his grace is his own. He had called the apostles to separate themselves from the crowd, and they came unto him. He now gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. May the Lord send forth more and more of those who have been with him, and have learned of him to preach his gospel, to be instruments in his blessed work. Those whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God…

Read the full comment on Mark 3:13-21 →

Mark 3:20 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.

καὶkai[20] andG2532
συνέρχεταιsunerchetaicomes togetherG4905
πάλινpalinagainG3825
ὄχλοςochlosa crowdG3793
ὥστεhōsteso thatG5620
μὴmēnotG3361
δύνασθαιdunasthaito be ableG1410
αὐτοὺςautoustheyG846
μηδὲmēdeevenG3366
ἄρτονartonbreadG740
φαγεῖν.phageinto eat.G5315

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

Cross references for Mark 3:20

  • Mark 6:31

    And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

  • John 4:31-34

    In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

  • Mark 3:9

    And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

  • Mark 9:28

    And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

  • Mark 7:17

    And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

  • Luke 6:17

    And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

  • Mark 3:7

    But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
so that.
9; 6:31; Lu 6:17; Joh 4:31-34

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

Context

  • Mark 3:19

    And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

  • Mark 3:20

    And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

  • Mark 3:21

    And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

Read all of Mark 3

Mark 3:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y agolpóse de nuevo la gente, de modo que ellos ni aun podían comer pan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils viennent à la maison; et la foule s’assemble de nouveau, en sorte qu’ils ne pouvaient pas même manger leur pain.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die kommen in ein Haus. Und wiederum kommt eine Volksmenge zusammen, so daß sie nicht einmal essen konnten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et veniunt ad domum: et convenit iterum turba, ita ut non possent neque panem manducare.