Mark 5 · Verse 23

Mark 5:23

And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Mark 5:23, King James Version

Mark 5:23 in other translations

BSBand pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
WEBand begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.”
ASVand beseecheth him much, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live.
YLTand he was calling upon him much, saying--‘My little daughter is at the last extremity--that having come, thou mayest lay on her thy hands, so that she may be saved, and she shall live;'
DARBYand he besought him much, saying, My little daughter is at extremity; I pray that thou shouldest come and lay thy hands upon her so that she may be healed, and may live.
BBEAnd made strong prayers to him, saying, My little daughter is near to death: it is my prayer that you will come and put your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and have life.
WebsterAnd besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she will live.

What does Mark 5:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter--Luke (Lu 8:42) says, "He had one only daughter, about twelve years of age." According to a well-known rabbin, quoted by Lightfoot, a daughter, till she had completed her twelfth year, was called "little," or "a little maid"; after that, "a young woman." lieth at the point of death--Matthew (Mt 9:18) gives it thus: "My daughter is even now dead"--"has just expired." The news of her death reached the father after the cure of the woman with the issue of blood: but Matthew's brief account gives only the result, as in the case of the centurion's servant (Mt 8:5, &c.). come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live--or, "that she may be healed and live," according to a fully preferable reading. In one of the class to which this man belonged, so steeped in prejudice, such faith would imply more than in others. The Woman with an Issue of Blood Healed (Mr 5:24-34).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. Lieth at the point of death. Is dying; in the last agonies.

(f) "point of death" Ps 107:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 My little daughter - Το θυγατριον μου, that little daughter of mine. The words express much tenderness and concern. Luke observes, Luk 8:42, that she was his only daughter, and was about twelve years of age. At the point of death - Εσχατως εχει, in the last extremity, the last gasp. See on Mat 9:18 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 5:21-34

A despised gospel will go where it will be better received. One of the rulers of a synagogue earnestly besought Christ for a little daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. Another cure was wrought by the way. We should do good, not only when in the house, but when we walk by the way, De 6:7. It is common with people not to apply to Christ till they have tried in vain all other helpers, and find them, as…

Read the full comment on Mark 5:21-34 →

Mark 5:23 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
παρακαλεῖparakaleihe begsG3870
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
πολλὰpollamuchG4183
λέγωνlegōnsayingG3004
ὅτιhotithatG3754
τὸtoTheG3588
θυγάτριόνthugatrionlittle daughterG2365
μουmouof mineG3165
ἐσχάτωςeschatōsat the endG2079
ἔχει,echeiis holding,G2192
ἵναinathatG2443
ἐλθὼνelthōnhaving comeG2064
ἐπιθῇςepithēasmay you layG2007
τὰςtastheG3588
χεῖραςcheirashandsG5495
αὐτῇautēaon herG846
ἵναinaso thatG2443
σωθῇsōthēashe may be curedG4982
καὶkaiandG2532
ζήσῃ.¶zēsēshe may live.G2198

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

Cross references for Mark 5:23

  • Luke 13:13

    And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

  • Mark 16:18

    They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

  • Luke 4:40

    Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

  • Acts 28:8

    And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

  • Mark 7:32

    And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

  • Mark 8:23

    And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

  • 2 Kings 5:11

    But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

  • Mark 9:21-22

    And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

  • 2 Samuel 12:15-16

    And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

  • Matthew 8:3

    And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

  • Psalms 107:19

    Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

  • Luke 4:38

    And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
besought.
7:25-27; 9:21,22; 2Sa 12:15,16; Ps 50:15; 107:19; Lu 4:38; 7:2,3,12
Joh 4:46,47; 11:3
lay thy hands.
6:5,6,13; 16:18; 2Ki 5:11; Mt 8:3; Lu 4:40; 13:13; Ac 28:8
Jas 5:14,15

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

Context

  • Mark 5:22

    And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

  • Mark 5:23

    And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

  • Mark 5:24

    And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

Read all of Mark 5

Mark 5:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y le rogaba mucho, diciendo: Mi hija está á la muerte: ven y pondrás las manos sobre ella para que sea salva, y vivirá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et il le suppliait instamment, disant: Ma fille est à l’extrémité; je te prie de venir et de lui imposer les mains, afin qu’elle soit sauvée, et qu’elle vive.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und er bat ihn sehr und sprach: Mein Töchterlein liegt in den letzten Zügen; ich bitte, daß du kommest und ihr die Hände auflegest, auf daß sie gerettet werde und lebe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et deprecabatur eum multum, dicens: Quoniam filia mea in extremis est, veni, impone manum super eam, ut salva sit, et vivat.