Mark 8 · Verse 3

Mark 8:3

And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
Mark 8:3, King James Version

Mark 8:3 in other translations

BSBIf I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.”
WEBIf I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”
ASVand if I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way; and some of them are come from far.
YLTand if I shall let them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way, for certain of them are come from far.'
DARBYand if I should dismiss them to their home fasting, they will faint on the way; for some of them are come from far.
BBEIf I send them away to their houses with no food, they will be overcome by weariness on the way; and some of them have come from far.
WebsterAnd if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for some of them came from a distance.

What does Mark 8:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way--In their eagerness they seem not to have thought of the need of provisions for such a length of time; but the Lord thought of it. In Matthew (Mt 15:32) it is, "I will not send them away fasting"--or rather, "To send them away fasting I am unwilling."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 For divers of them came from far - And they could not possibly reach their respective homes without perishing, unless they got food.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 8:1-10

Our Lord Jesus encouraged the meanest to come to him for life and grace. Christ knows and considers our frames. The bounty of Christ is always ready; to show that, he repeated this miracle. His favours are renewed, as our wants and necessities are. And those need not fear want, who have Christ to live upon by faith, and do so with thanksgiving.

Read the full comment on Mark 8:1-10 →

Mark 8:3 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
ἐὰνeanifG1437
ἀπολύσωapolusōI shall send awayG630
αὐτοὺςautousthemG846
νήστειςnēsteishungryG3523
εἰςeistoG1519
οἶκονoikon[the] homesG3624
αὐτῶν,autōnof them,G846
ἐκλυθήσονταιekluthēsontaithey will faintG1590
ἐνenonG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ὁδῷ·hodōway;G3598
καίkaiAndG2532
τινεςtinessomeG5100
αὐτῶνautōnof themG846
μακρόθενmakrothenafarG3113
ἥκασιν.¶hēkasinhave come.G2240

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

Cross references for Mark 8:3

  • Isaiah 40:31

    But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

  • Judges 8:4-6

    And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?

  • 1 Samuel 14:28-31

    Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.

  • 1 Samuel 30:10-12

    But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jud 8:4-6; 1Sa 14:28-31; 30:10-12; Isa 40:31

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

Context

  • Mark 8:2

    I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

  • Mark 8:3

    And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

  • Mark 8:4

    And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

Read all of Mark 8

Mark 8:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y si los enviare en ayunas á sus casas, desmayarán en el camino; porque algunos de ellos han venido de lejos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et si je les renvoie à jeun dans leurs maisons, ils tomberont en défaillance par le chemin; car quelques-uns d’entre eux sont venus de loin.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und wenn ich sie nach Hause entlasse, ohne daß sie gegessen haben, so werden sie auf dem Wege verschmachten; denn etliche von ihnen sind von ferne gekommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et si dimisero eos jejunos in domum suam, deficient in via: quidam enim ex eis de longe venerunt.