Mark 4 · Verse 39

Mark 4:39

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Mark 4:39, King James Version

Mark 4:39 in other translations

BSBThen Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
WEBHe awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.
ASVAnd he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
YLTAnd having waked up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be stilled;' and the wind did lull, and there was a great calm:
DARBYAnd awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm.
BBEAnd he came out of his sleep, and gave strong orders to the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be at rest. And the wind went down, and there was a great calm.
WebsterAnd he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still: and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

What does Mark 4:39 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
39. And he arose, and rebuked the wind--"and the raging of the water" (Lu 8:24). and said unto the sea, Peace, be still--two sublime words of command, from a Master to His servants, the elements. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm--The sudden hushing of the wind would not at once have calmed the sea, whose commotion would have settled only after a considerable time. But the word of command was given to both elements at once.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 39. Peace, be still. There is something exceedingly authoritative and majestic in this command of our Lord. Standing amidst the howling tempest, on the heaving sea, and in the darkness of the night, by his own power he stills the waves, and bids the storm subside. None but the God of the storms and the billows could awe, by a word, the troubled elements, and send a universal peace and stillness among the winds and waves. He must, therefore, be Divine.

(m) "And the wind" Ps 89:9, Lam 3:31,32

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 Peace, be still - Be silent! Be still! There is uncommon majesty and authority in these words. Who but God could act thus? Perhaps this salvation of his disciples in the boat might be designed to show forth that protection and deliverance which Christ will give to his followers, however violently they may be persecuted by earth or hell. At least, this is a legitimate use which may be made of this transaction.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 4:35-41

Christ was asleep in the storm, to try the faith of his disciples, and to stir them up to pray. Their faith appeared weak, and their prayers strong. When our wicked hearts are like the troubled sea which cannot rest, when our passions are unruly, let us think we hear the law of Christ, saying, Be silent, be dumb. When without are fightings, and within are fears, and the spirits are in a tumult, if he say, "Peace, be…

Read the full comment on Mark 4:35-41 →

Mark 4:39 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
διεγερθεὶςdiegertheishaving been awokenG1326
ἐπετίμησενepetimēsenHe rebukedG2008
τῷtōtheG3588
ἀνέμῳanemōwindG417
καὶkaiandG2532
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
τῇtēato theG3588
θαλάσσῃ·thalassēsea;G2281
σιώπα,siōpaSilence!G4623
πεφίμωσο.pephimōsoyou must be still!G5392
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἐκόπασενekopasenabatedG2869
ὁhotheG3588
ἄνεμος,anemoswind,G417
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐγένετοegenetothere wasG1096
γαλήνηgalēnēa calmG1055
μεγάλη.¶megalēgreat.G3173

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

Cross references for Mark 4:39

  • Psalms 107:29

    He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

  • Psalms 89:9

    Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

  • Psalms 29:10

    The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.

  • Psalms 65:7

    Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

  • Jeremiah 5:22

    Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

  • Proverbs 8:29

    When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

  • Job 38:11

    And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

  • Psalms 148:8

    Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

  • Exodus 14:28-29

    And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

  • Exodus 14:22

    And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

  • Psalms 93:3-4

    The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

  • Psalms 104:7-9

    At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he arose.
Ex 14:16,22,28,29; Job 38:11; Ps 29:10; 93:3,4; 104:7-9; 107:29
Ps 148:8; Pr 8:29; Jer 5:22
rebuked.
9:25; Na 1:4; Lu 4:39
the wind.
Ps 89:9; La 3:31

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

Context

  • Mark 4:38

    And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

  • Mark 4:39

    And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

  • Mark 4:40

    And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Read all of Mark 4

Mark 4:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y levantándose, increpó al viento, y dijo á la mar: Calla, enmudece. Y cesó el viento, y fué hecha grande bonanza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et s’étant réveillé, il reprit le vent, et dit à la mer: Fais silence, tais-toi! Et le vent tomba, et il se fit un grand calme.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er wachte auf, bedrohte den Wind und sprach zu dem See: Schweig, verstumme! Und der Wind legte sich, und es ward eine große Stille.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et exsurgens comminatus est vento, et dixit mari: Tace, obmutesce. Et cessavit ventus: et facta est tranquillitas magna.