SIL Translator’s Notes on Mark 2008

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:1

Section 1:1–8

God sent John the Baptizer to prepare the people to receive Jesus

These notes have divided this section into three paragraphs:

1:1 serves as an introduction both to section 1:1–8 and to the book as a whole.

1:2–3 introduces John the Baptizer by quoting the Old Testament verses that predict his ministry.

1:4–8 describes John, his ministry and his message.

In some languages it may be more natural to make different paragraph breaks. For example:

• 1:1–3 and 1:4–8 (Good News Bible, New Century Version)

• 1:1–8 (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible)

Divide the paragraphs in a way that will fit the style of your language.

It is good to translate the section before you decide on a section heading for it. You will need to use terms in the heading that you have used in the verses within the section. For example, before you write a section heading for this section, you will need to know how you have translated the word “Baptizer.” See the note on 1:4a.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The preaching of John the Baptizer
-or-
John prepared people for Jesus to arrive

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 3:1–12; Luke 3:1–18; and John 1:19–28.

Paragraph 1:1

This paragraph introduces the book of Mark. It tells readers that the subject of the entire book is the gospel about Jesus Christ. This gospel begins with how John the Baptizer prepared people for the coming of Jesus. (Scholars are evenly divided as to whether this verse introduces 1:1–8 or the book as a whole. But this difference is not apparent in most English versions. Either way, the book as a whole is about Jesus Christ, and the next verses begin with an account about John the Baptist.)

1:1

This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the words This is to make this verse a complete sentence. The Greek phrase is an incomplete sentence and is more like a title. Translate in a way that is natural in your own language.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

The story of the good news about Jesus the Christ, God’s Son, begins in this way:
-or-
This is how the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, begins.

the beginning of the gospel: The phrase the beginning of the gospel indicates that in this section the author tells how the gospel began. It began with the prophecy in 1:2–3 and the ministry of John the Baptizer in 1:4–8. The phrase does not indicate that the entire book of Mark is only the beginning of the gospel.

gospel: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gospel means “good news.” In Mark, this word refers to the good news about Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

good/sweet news
-or-
good news about Jesus Christ
-or-
good news from God
-or-
message/report that causes joy

Be sure that the term you choose does not refer only to a news report or to a story that is not true.

of Jesus Christ: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as of Jesus Christ means that the good news is about Jesus Christ. It does not mean that the good news came from Jesus Christ.

Christ: Here the word Christ is used as a title. It is not just one of Jesus’ names. In the other verses where it is used in Mark, it is clearly used as a title, not just a name.

The Jews used the title Christ to refer to the person whom God had appointed and promised to send as King and Savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning.

Here are some other ways to translate Christ:

• Transliterate it according to the sounds of your language. For example:

Krais
-or-
Karisiti

• Transliterate it and indicate in some way that it is a title. For example:

the Christ
-or-
the Kirisita

• Transliterate Christ and include a phrase that explains the meaning. For example:

Christ, the appointed one
-or-
Cristo, the Savior God promised
-or-
the Christ who comes from God

If you do not indicate the meaning of Christ in the text, you may want to include a footnote to explain the meaning of Christ. Or you may want to explain the meaning in a glossary. For example:

The word/title “Christ” refers to the King and Savior whom God had promised to send.

If you use a descriptive phrase, be sure that it fits smoothly with the title “the Son of God” in the last part of the verse.

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:2

Paragraph 1:2–3

The quotes in 1:2–3 come from two books of the Old Testament. The quote in 1:3 is from Isaiah 40:3. The quote in 1:2 is from Malachi 3:1. Some parts of 1:2–3 may also be from Exodus 23:20. Mark mentioned only Isaiah. Consider whether it would be helpful to your readers to use footnotes to give the references for these Old Testament quotations.

1:2a

As: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as As indicates the connection between 1:2a and 1:4: Just as Isaiah prophesied in 1:2–3, so John appeared in 1:4 and fulfilled that prophecy. Another way to show this connection is to indicate it only in 1:4. Many English versions that omit the word “as” in 1:2a follow this option. See the note on 1:4a.

it is written in Isaiah the prophet (There is a textual issue in 1:2a: (1) Some Greek manuscripts have in Isaiah the prophet. For example, the Revised Standard Version says: “As it is written in Isaiah the prophet” (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version). (2) Some Greek manuscripts have in the prophets. For example, the King James Version says: “As it is written in the prophets” (King James Version). It is recommended that you follow option (1).) The phrase Isaiah the prophet refers here to the book that Isaiah the prophet wrote. (The manuscript evidence for the reading “in Isaiah the prophet” has both early and widespread support. The quote in 1:2 actually comes from Exodus 23:20 and Malachi 3:1 and only 1:3 comes from Isaiah. Because Isaiah was a major prophet in the Old Testament, and often quoted in the New, it is possible that Mark mentions Isaiah the prophet as representative of these quotes from the Old Testament. (Gundry page 35) Also, it must be noted that Mark was not writing for a Jewish but a Gentile audience, who would not be familiar with all the prophets mentioned in the Jewish Scriptures.) This book is in the Old Testament. In this book Isaiah wrote the messages that God gave him to tell people. The first readers of Mark’s Gospel knew that Mark was quoting God’s message that Isaiah had written long before. If this information is not clear to your readers, you may need to make it explicit. For example:

Long ago, God caused the prophet Isaiah to write these words:
-or-
The prophet Isaiah wrote these words from God long ago. He said…

it is written: The phrase it is written is the usual way that authors of New Testament books introduced a quote from the Old Testament. You should be as consistent as possible in translating this phrase.

prophet: A prophet is a man who speaks on behalf of God. He tells people what God has revealed to him, and he also gives them messages from God.

Here are some ways to translate prophet:

a spokesman for God
-or-
a man who speaks God’s words
-or-
God’s message-speaker

When choosing a term for prophet, consider how you will translate other words which are similar in meaning such as “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”

While prophets did foretell the future, this was not their only function. Avoid using a word that focuses on telling the future.

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:3

1:3a

A voice of one calling in the wilderness: The words A voice of one calling in the wilderness refer to the messenger who was mentioned in 1:2c. The messenger would prepare the way for the Christ by shouting out God’s message in the wilderness. The messenger had not yet come at the time when Isaiah was writing. He was writing about what would happen in the future. So in many languages it will be necessary to use the future tense here in 1:3a, as well as in 1:2b–c. For example:

A voice of one will be calling in the wilderness

A voice of one calling: In this context the phrase A voice is a figure of speech. The voice represents the “messenger” whom God was sending. If it will not be clear that the voice and the “messenger” refer to the same person, you may need to make this explicit.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

He is a voice shouting (New Living Translation)
-or-
He will call out…
-or-
The messenger’s voice will call out…

calling: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as calling refers to shouting or speaking in a loud voice. Be sure that your translation does not imply that John was angry or insane. Use a term that describes speaking loudly so that people can hear the words clearly.

in the wilderness: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wilderness refers to an area where few people live. Some versions translate this word as “desert,” but this does not necessarily refer to a dry, sandy desert. Some languages have a special word to refer to such areas, such as “the bush” (Africa) or “steppes” (Asia).

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

land with few people
-or-
place with no inhabitants
-or-
wild, open area

Because the wilderness was an area where few or no people lived, 1:3a may imply that John was calling out loudly with no one to listen. If so, you may need to make explicit that people went to listen to him. For example:

He will shout out to those who go to listen to him in the wilderness.

1:3b–c

This part of the verse is from the Old Testament. It consists of two lines of poetry that have similar meanings. These two lines also contain a quote within a quote. See the General Comment on 1:3b–c below for advice on these two issues.

1:3b

Prepare the way: This phrase is a metaphor that has the same meaning as the similar phrase in 1:2c (see the note there). Both metaphors use the illustration of preparing a road for a king’s arrival. These metaphors indicate that people should prepare their minds and hearts for the coming of the Lord.

It is good to use similar words in translating both metaphors. However, if you made some details explicit in 1:2c, you may be able to translate more simply here. Your translation should sound like natural speech for someone who is proclaiming a message to people.

the Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means “master, one who has authority over others.” Here it refers to God. It is a translation of God’s personal name in Hebrew. In this context it indicates that God was coming to people as the Messiah.

Here are some other ways to translate Lord:

Master/Chief
-or-
Ruler

In some languages people may not naturally use a word that means “master” to refer to God. If speakers of your language do not understand that your word for “Lord” refers to God in this context, here are other ways to translate it:

• Use your word for God.

• Use your word for God and indicate that he is the Lord. For example:

God the Lord
-or-
Master God

If you include the word for God in your translation of Lord, you may want to include a footnote to give the literal Greek meaning. For example:

Here the Greek text is literally “Lord.”

See Lord, Context 2, in the Glossary.

1:3c

make straight paths for Him: The phrase make straight paths for Him is a metaphor. It refers to the same action as the metaphor in 1:3b. It explains how to prepare the way. People prepared a path by making the crooked places straight. The Good News Bible translates this as:

make a straight path for him to travel (Good News Bible)

General Comment on 1:3b–c

In 1:3b and 1:3c Mark referred to the same activity. In some languages you may need to make this clear in some way. For example:

Prepare the road/path for the Lord’s coming by making it straight.
-or-
Clear and straighten the road that the Lord will take so that it will be ready for his coming.

In 1:3b–c Mark was quoting God, and God was saying the words that his messenger would shout to people. This is a quote within a quote. In some languages you may need to use an indirect quote for the words of the messenger. For example:

3a–cHe will shout in the wilderness, announcing to those who go to listen that they should prepare the road for the Lord’s coming. They should make it straight and smooth.

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:4

Paragraph 1:4–8

This paragraph describes the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in 1:2–3. It identifies John as “the messenger” and “the voice” that were mentioned in those verses. It also describes what John did and what he preached. In some languages you may want to divide 1:4–8 into two paragraphs: 1:4–5 and 1:6–8.

1:4a

There is an implied connection between 1:4 and the prophecy in 1:2–3. John fulfilled this prophecy. He was the messenger whom Isaiah predicted. Try to indicate this connection in a natural way in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

So (Good News Bible)
-or-
And so (New International Version)
-or-
And those words were fulfilled, because

See the notes at the beginning of 1:2a for more discussion on this connection.

John the Baptist appeared: There is a textual issue with the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Baptist:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts indicate that this word is used as a title for John. (These manuscripts have the definite article before the word “baptizing.”) It means “John, the Baptizing [One].” For example:

John the Baptizer (God’s Word)
-or-
John who baptized people

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, 2011 edition, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, God’s Word, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) Some Greek manuscripts indicate that this word goes with came and describes John’s actions. (These manuscripts do not have the definite article before “baptizing.”) It means “John came, baptizing.” For example:

So John appeared…baptizing… (Good News Bible)

(New International Version (1984 Revision), Good News Bible, New Century Version, King James Version, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It has the best manuscript and version support. However, if a major language Bible in your area follows option (2), you may choose to follow it. There is good evidence for both options, and the difference in meaning is slight.

Be careful that the title does not imply that John was a member of a Baptist Church. This may be a problem with a transliterated title like “John the Baptist.”

Here is another way to translate John the Baptist appeared :

John the Baptizer appeared

John the Baptist: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Baptist can also be translated as “baptizer.” It refers to a person who baptizes people. The verb “baptize” means to purify people with a special ritual that uses water. (In some verses, the verbs “wash” and “clean” are used to translate the Greek verb “baptize.” Luke 11:38 says, “But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.” (The Greek verb here is baptizo, but English versions translate it as “wash.” The context refers to a ritual washing, not merely a removal of dirt.). Mark 7:4 and Matthew 23:25 both speak of washing/cleaning cups and other utensils. The verb in Mark is baptizo while the verb in Matthew is katharizo (clean). Again, a ritual cleansing is involved. Mark 7:4 says, “And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.” Matthew 23:25 says, “You clean (katharizo) the outside of the cup and dish.” However, the above references do not indicate that “wash/cleanse” is the only meaning of the rite of baptism as practiced by John and by the early Christians. And certainly Jesus’ baptism of people with the Holy Spirit signified more than purification.) In this context the ritual involved purification from sin. It did not mean that the person was cleaned to remove dirt. Baptism was an initiation that marked the beginning of a person’s life as one of God’s pure people.

You will probably need to decide how to translate the verb “baptize” before you translate the title “John the Baptist.”

Here are some ways to translate “baptize”:

• Use a descriptive term. For example:

ritually wash
-or-
initiate people in/with water
-or-
immerse people in water for God
-or-
sprinkle/shower people with God’s initiation water

• Use a term for a similar ritual that is already used in your culture. You may need to indicate that in this context it has a special connection with God. For example:

purify people with God’s ceremonial bath
-or-
wash people in initiation water for God

• Use a term that is already accepted by the local churches. In some areas this term may have been borrowed from the national language or transliterated from Greek or English.

Churches use different ways to baptize people. Choose a term that is acceptable to the different churches in your area.

Here are some other ways to translate the title John the baptizer:

John who cleansed people for God
-or-
John the Ritual Purifier
-or-
John who initiated people with God’s washing

See baptize, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

appeared: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as appeared has more than one meaning. There are two ways to interpret it here:

(1) It indicates that John came/appeared. For example:

John went to a place in the wilderness (Easy English Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version)

(2) It indicates that John lived/was in the wilderness. For example:

He lived in the wilderness. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)

(New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation, 1996 edition)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). John may have lived in the wilderness before this time. However, the focus here is that he began to preach publicly and that many people quickly heard about him. (An idiom to describe this in English is “John appeared/came on the scene.”)

In some languages a word that means “appeared” can imply a wrong meaning. It may imply that John was invisible and then he suddenly became visible or that John appeared to people in a vision. Be careful to avoid these wrong meanings.

in the wilderness: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wilderness is the same word in 1:3a. See the note in 1:3a on wilderness.

1:4b

Here in 1:4b John preached in an area where no people lived, but people came to listen to him. In 1:4a also, he was calling out his message in a place where few people lived, but people came from other places to listen to him. If you made this information explicit in 1:4a, consider whether you need to do so again here. See the note on “in the wilderness” at 1:3a. See also the General Comment on 1:4b–d for a suggestion about how to translate the content of John’s preaching.

preaching: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as preaching means to publicly tell people something important. John was proclaiming God’s message to the crowds who came to listen. He did this often, and your translation should imply that.

Here are some other ways to translate preaching in this context:

announcing
-or-
proclaiming
-or-
telling people

In some languages it may be natural to start a new clause or sentence here. For example:

He was preaching to the people.

1:4c–d

a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins: In this phrase there are four important nouns: baptism, repentance, forgiveness, and sins. In many languages you may need to translate some or all of these nouns as verbs. Then you may need to make other information explicit. For example:

[preaching that] people should be baptized to show that they were rejecting their sins so that God would forgive them.

In many languages it may also be more natural to use direct speech here. For example:

Allow me to baptize you to show that you are turning from your sins so that God will forgive you for the evil things that you have done.

See the General Comment on 1:4b–d for another example. See baptize, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

1:4c

a baptism of repentance: The phrase a baptism of repentance means “a baptism that shows repentance.” Baptism was the way people could show that they had repented.

People repented and then were baptized. So in some languages it may be necessary to translate the actions in a different order. For example, the Good News Bible has:

Turn away from your (plur) sins and be baptized. (Good News Bible)

In some languages it may be not be natural or even possible to use the passive verb “be baptized.” In those languages it may be possible to say:

Turn away from your (plur) sins and allow me to baptize you (plur).
-or-
Turn from your (plur) sins and receive/accept baptism.

baptism: The word baptism refers to a special ritual washing that purifies someone. In this context the ritual implied purifying/cleansing from sin. It was an initiation that marked the beginning of that person’s life as one of God’s pure people.

You should translate baptism in a similar way as you translate “baptize.” However, the form of the word or phrase may be different. For example, here are some ways to translate baptism with a descriptive term:

ritual washing
-or-
purification/initiation for God
-or-
entering the water

Be sure that the term you use is acceptable to the different churches in your area. See the note on 1:4a for more translation suggestions. Remember that in 1:4a the focus was on John as the one who baptized people, rather than on the people who were being baptized. You may need to modify your term for baptism to fit different contexts.

repentance: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as repentance means “a change of a person’s mind, heart, or will.” In the Bible it refers specifically to a change of mind and heart about sin and about God. The person who repents is sorry for his past sins. He decides to stop sinning and to obey God.

Here are some other ways to translate repentance:

changing heart/mind
-or-
rejecting sin

In some languages, you may have an idiom for this type of change. For example:

turning from sin to God
-or-
leaving sin behind

In some languages it may be more natural to translate repentance here with a verb or verb phrase. For example:

Turn away from your sins (Good News Bible)
-or-
Change your (plur) thinking/mind/heart

1:4d

for the forgiveness of sins: The phrase for the forgiveness of sins indicates that the purpose of repenting and being baptized is to receive forgiveness. It also implies that the forgiveness is the result that people can expect from these actions. (Louw and Nida (page 784) define eis here as “a marker of intent, often with the implication of expected result.” UBS Handbook (page 12) also says that in this context the preposition may indicate “either purpose or result.” Hiebert (page 32) speaks of forgiveness as being the spiritual result or end of baptism, and Taylor (page 154) describes baptism as an action that leads to forgiveness.) In some languages it may be necessary to emphasize either purpose or result. For example:

Stop sinning and be baptized in order that God will pardon your sins.
-or-
Turn away from your (plur) sins and be baptized…and God will forgive your sins. (Good News Bible)
-or-
Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven. (Contemporary English Version)

forgiveness of sins: In this context the phrase forgiveness of sins means that God chooses not to punish a person for the evil things that he has done and thought. God cancels his guilt and treats him as though he had never offended.

Here are some other ways to translate forgiveness of sins:

canceling sins
-or-
release from sins
-or-
taking away of sins

In some languages it may be necessary to translate the noun forgiveness with a verb. Here are some ways to do this:

pardon sins
-or-
cancel sins

In many languages there may be an idiom for this. For example:

erase guilt
-or-
wiping away sins

In some languages it is more natural to say “forgive people,” rather than to “forgive sins.” For example:

forgive people for their sins

sins: The word sins refers to offenses against God. Sins include acts, thoughts, and attitudes that are not what God wants or approves. (In Greek, the verb that English versions translate as sin is also a term that is used in archery to mean “miss the target”. When a person sins, he “misses” the target, that is, he fails to reach God’s standard.) A person can also offend God by not doing what God wants him to do.

It is helpful to translate sins with a general term that can include any offense against God. Here are problems to avoid:

(a) The term should not imply that only serious crimes like murder or stealing are sins. Other offenses like gossip and greed are also sins.

(b) The term should not include accidents or mistakes that are not against God’s will.

Here are some ways to translate sins:

wrong acts
-or-
offenses against God
-or-
evil deeds

In some languages it may be natural to translate sins with a phrase that includes a verb. For example:

wrong things that you have done

General Comment on 1:4b–d

This part of the verse tells what John preached to the people. In some languages it may be more natural to use a direct quote. For example, the Good News Bible says:

…preaching. “Turn away from your (plur) sins and be baptized,” he told the people, “and God will forgive your (plur) sins.”

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:5

1:5a

went out: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went out means that people left their homes in the city or countryside. They went to the place where John was. The verb also indicates that people went to listen to John many times, not just once.

Here are some other ways to say this in English:

were going out
-or-
kept going out

In some languages, it may be more natural to say here that people “came” to John rather than they “went.” Use the verb that is more natural in this context.

In some languages it may be necessary to specify a location or a purpose for going. For example:

traveled out into the wilderness to see and hear John (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
came/went to where he was

from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea: In this context the author used the word all to emphasize that many people from these areas went to hear John. It is a hyperbole. It does not mean that every person in Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea went to hear John.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

from Jerusalem and from all over Judea (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
from most of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea

countryside of Judea: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as countryside of Judea refers to the region or land of Judea.

Jerusalem: Jerusalem was a city within Judea. If you use footnotes, you may want to add a footnote with information like the following:

Jerusalem was the capital city of Judea province/land.

1:5b

Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River: The form of the word Confessing indicates that people confessed their sins before or during their baptism. You may translate it either way. For example:

They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. (New Living Translation)
-or-
As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. (God’s Word)

Confessing their sins: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Confessing indicates that the people admitted that they had sinned. (France (page 68) says there is no indication whether the confession was silent or aloud, but Hiebert (page 33), Lenski (page 36), UBS Handbook (page 17), TRT (page 5) and Louw and Nida (page 420) all say that this was a public acknowledgment of having sinned, though not necessarily a detailed list of specific sins.) They may have confessed their sins in a general way without listing in detail all their specific sins. It is not clear whether they confessed to John or whether they confessed to God in the presence of John and the other people.

Here are some ways to translate this:

confessed/admitted their sins
-or-
acknowledged that they were sinners
-or-
said that they had sinned

sins: See the note in 1:4d.

they were baptized by him in the Jordan River: This clause is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to make it active. Be sure to use an appropriate form of your term for “baptize.” For example:

John baptized them in the Jordan river
-or-
John ceremonially cleansed them for God in the Jordan river

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:6

1:6a

John was clothed in camel’s hair: John probably wore a long, loose robe made with a rough kind of cloth that was woven from the hair of a camel. It was not made from camel skin with the hair still on it. Clothing made from camel’s hair was commonly worn by poor people and by prophets.

In some languages, it may sound like John had expensive fur clothes. If that is true in your language, it may be necessary to add a word such as “only” or “simple” to indicate that John did not wear fancy clothes. For example:

John’s clothes were only made from woven camel hair
-or-
John wore a simple robe made from woven camel hair
-or-
John was dressed in a rough coat of camel’s hair (Revised English Bible)

See the General Comment on 1:6a–b at the end of the notes for 1:6b for another suggestion.

was clothed in camel’s hair: The phrase was clothed in camel’s hair is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to use an active phrase. For example, the CSB says:

wore a camel-hair garment (CSB)

camel: If a camel is an unknown animal in your language, consider using one of the following options:

• Use a loan word plus a general term. For example:

an animal called camel

• Use a general word such as “animal.” For example:

clothes made of animal hair

• Omit the reference to an animal or camel and just translate the significance of this kind of clothing. For example:

simple clothes/robe like a prophet

Avoid using a phrase that describes the appearance or usefulness of a camel. That may distract your readers from the actual significance of the clothing.

1:6b

with a leather belt around his waist: This belt was probably a piece of animal skin that John tied around his robe at the waist. It was not like the leather belts that can be bought in a store.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

strip of rawhide
-or-
belt made of animal skin

In some languages the word belt may already imply that it is worn around the waist. In such languages, you may not need to translate the words “around the waist” explicitly.

General Comment on 1:6a–b

It may be helpful to include a footnote with information about the clothes and belt in 1:6a–b. For example:

This kind of clothing/robe was worn by poor people and by prophets. The prophet Elijah also wore a leather belt (2 Kings 1:8).

1:6c

In Greek this sentence begins with a common conjunction that is often translated as “and” (see the New International Version). This conjunction connects 1:6c to 1:6a–b. 1:6a–b describes John’s clothing and 1:6c describes John’s food. Connect these facts in a natural way in your language.

His food was locusts and wild honey: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as His food was indicates that John ate locusts and wild honey as his regular food. In some languages, a word like food is not used with things such as honey. If your language is like this, you will need to use a different word that fits with the word “honey.” For example:

His food was locusts and his drink was wild honey.

locusts: The word locusts refers to insects that resemble very large grasshoppers. If you have a word for “locust” or “grasshopper,” be sure that it refers to a type that people can eat. If locusts or grasshoppers are not known in the language area, you may use one of the following options:

• Use a general term plus a loan word. For example:

insects called locusts

• Use a general term. For example:

insects/bugs

• Use a phrase that describes the significance of this kind of food. For example:

simple food that he could find in the wilderness

If you use this option, the description will include “wild honey.” You may want to add a footnote to describe both foods.

It may be helpful to include a footnote that explains the significance of these foods. For example:

In Palestine, people who wandered from place to place with their flocks often ate locusts and wild honey. People who lived in cities or towns did not usually eat these kinds of food.

wild honey: The words wild honey refer to honey that wild bees make. It contrasts with honey that people get by keeping bees to produce honey for them. If people do not keep bees in your culture, the word “wild” may not be necessary. Use a natural expression in your language. For example:

water of wild-bees
-or-
honey that he found

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:7

1:7a

And: The word And here connects what John wore and ate to what John did and said. As with 1:6c, use a natural way in your language to connect this verse to the preceding verse. Many English versions start this verse with a separate sentence. For example:

He announced (God’s Word)
-or-
This is what John preached to the people (New Century Version)

he began to proclaim: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he began to proclaim is literally “he was proclaiming/preaching, saying….” The word “proclaiming/preaching” is from the same Greek verb as “preaching” in 1:4b. See the note there.

This clause introduces a summary of what John preached regularly. But 1:4 indicates that he also preached about repentance and baptism. It is good to express 1:7a so that it does not imply that John’s message was only the words 1:7b–c. For example:

In the course of his preaching he said (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
John also told the people (Contemporary English Version)

1:7b

After me will come: The phrase After me means “later than me [in time].” John’s work had already started. Jesus would begin his work soon afterwards. The Greek verb form that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will come is more literally “is coming.” It indicates that Jesus was coming very soon. He was about to begin his work while John was still alive.

In some languages, a literal translation of After me may imply that Jesus did not come until after John died. If that is true in your language, you should translate in a different way. For example:

Someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
I have already started my work. Very soon someone else will arrive/come…

One more powerful than I: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as powerful here refers to greatness. The Christ was greater or more important than John. John was not saying that the Christ was physically stronger than he was.

1:7c

the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie: In Jewish culture, only a slave would untie someone’s sandals. John mentioned this action to indicate that Jesus was very important. Jesus was of such great status that John did not feel worthy even to serve as Jesus’ slave. If the meaning of this action is not clear to your readers, here are some options to consider:

• Mention the action and indicate the symbolic meaning. For example:

I feel inadequate to even serve him like a slave by stooping and loosening the ties of his sandals.

• Omit the action and translate only its meaning. For example, the New Living Translation, 1996 edition says:

I am not even worthy to be his slave. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)

If you use a word like “slave,” be sure that your translation does not imply that Jesus owned slaves.

straps…sandals…untie: In some areas sandals are not used. In other areas, sandals do not need to be untied. If that is true in your area, you may use a more general word, such as shoes. It may also be more natural to focus on removing the shoes, since that was the purpose for untying the straps. For example:

I am not even qualified to bend down to take off his shoes.
-or-
Because of his greatness, I would be ashamed to even remove his shoes.

straps of whose sandals: The word sandals means a type of shoe. The sandals that people wore at that time were usually made from a piece of leather that formed the bottom of a shoe. People tied leather straps onto this piece of leather and then wrapped them around the foot and lower legs.

Section 1:9–11

John baptized Jesus

The previous section described how John the Baptizer prepared people for the coming of Jesus. The present section forms a transition from the work of John to the work of Jesus. Jesus came to John to be baptized. After John baptized Jesus, God’s Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and God spoke to him from heaven. These were signs that Jesus was the Messiah whom God had sent.

You will probably want to translate this section before you decide on a section heading. Here is another example of a heading for this section:

The baptism of Jesus

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 3:13–17; Luke 3:21–22.

Paragraph 1:9–11

1:9a

In those days: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as In those days is literally “And it happened in those days.” This phrase introduces the event that follows. It refers to the time when John was preaching to people and baptizing them. While John was doing these things, Jesus arrived at the place where John was.

Most English versions do not translate the phrase “And it happened,” because it is not natural in English. Consider how your language introduces the next major part of a story. Translate in a way that is natural for your language.

Jesus came: Languages differ in the way they use words like “come” and “go.” In some languages it may be more natural to say “went” or “traveled” instead of came.

In some languages it may also be natural to make explicit that Jesus “arrived” at that location. It may be necessary to specify that he came to John or to where John was baptizing. This implicit information may fit in either 1:9a or 1>9b. For example:

During those days, Jesus traveled from Nazareth in Galilee and arrived in the wilderness where John was baptizing.

from Nazareth in Galilee: Nazareth was a town with about two thousand people. Galilee was an area in the northern part of the country of Israel. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate some of this information. For example:

from Nazareth in the province of Galilee (Good News Bible)
-or-
from Nazareth town in the region of Galilee
-or-
from Nazareth in the district of Galilee

It may also be helpful to include a footnote with more information. For example:

Nazareth was a town in the province/region of Galilee where Jesus and his parents lived. Jesus grew up there but later lived in Capernaum. About 2000 people lived in Nazareth.

1:9b

was baptized by John: The phrase was baptized by John is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to use an active phrase. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:

John baptized him in the Jordan River. (Contemporary English Version)

baptized: See the notes on 1:4a and 1:8a for ways to translate baptized.

in the Jordan: The Jordan refers to the Jordan River. In some languages you may need to make this explicit. For example:

in the river Jordan

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SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:10

1:10

As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw…: In Greek, this verse literally says: “And immediately coming up out of the water he saw….” The phrase “and immediately” here introduces an important new event in the story. It also indicates that this event will be surprising or unexpected and that it occurred as soon as Jesus had been baptized. (Levinsohn 2003, Ellingsworth and France (page 76) agree that the phrase kai euthus (“and immediately”) indicates a new, significant or dramatic development within a story. Ellingsworth also comments that the new event may be surprising. In this context the event is clearly surprising and unexpected. France (page 76) further comments that the phrase “and immediately” connects the new event closely to Jesus’ baptism, and translations such as “as soon as…” communicate this in English.)

Some English versions do not explicitly translate this expression. Others use an expression like “just as.” If your language has a way to indicate that an event is surprising and important in the story, you should use it here. For example:

As Jesus was leaving the water, this is what happened: he saw…

1:10a

As soon as Jesus came up out of the water: Jesus had stepped down into the river in order to be baptized. The phrase came up out of the water indicates that he returned to the edge of the river and stepped onto dry land. Use a natural expression in your language to describe the action of stepping up out of a river onto the land.

1:10b

He saw the heavens breaking open: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as breaking open means “split apart, divided.” Most scholars interpret this as a passive verb. (The Greek verb is ambiguous. It can also be understood as a middle participle (“tear open”), which is what the Berean Standard Bible does. Renderings such as “open” (New Century Version, Contemporary English Version), “split open” (God’s Word, New Living Translation), and “opening” (Good News Bible) may reflect this understanding.) The context implies that the actor is God, but the focus here is on the action, not the actor. Jesus saw the sky being torn open, but the text does not say that he saw God tearing the sky.

In some languages it may be natural to use a passive verb in this context, as the Greek does. For example:

he saw heaven being torn open (New International Version)

The text does not mean that Jesus saw heaven being destroyed, or that God was destroying heaven. If a literal translation would give that wrong meaning, use a different expression. For example:

he saw the sky opening up

If you do this, consider using a footnote to help readers understand the connection between this verse and 15:38. Here is a suggested footnote:

The Greek says literally: “being torn open.” These are the same words that are used in 15:38 when the curtain of the Temple was torn open.

He: Most scholars agree that He refers to Jesus, not John. Although John also saw this event (see John 1:32–33), the focus here is entirely on Jesus.

the heavens: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heavens is also used in 1:11a. It can have two different meanings, depending on the context:

(a) the heavens, the place where God lives,

(b) the sky.

In the New Testament, God often showed supernatural signs from the sky, such as a voice, fire, or bright light. In this verse either “heavens” or “sky” would fit the context. The Holy Spirit came down like a dove and God’s voice came from heaven or from the sky. Here are some points to consider:

• If your language has a term that can mean either “heaven” or “sky,” use it in both 1:10b and 1:11a.

• If it is difficult to speak about heaven (God’s home) being torn open, you may use “the sky” in 1:10b and “heaven” in 1:11a.

• In languages that do not have a single word for heavens, you may need to use a descriptive phrase:

the place of God
-or-
the place where God lives

1:10c

and: The word and introduces the other thing that Jesus saw. He saw the sky being torn open, and he also saw the Spirit descending.

the Spirit: The phrase the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. To avoid confusion, you should probably use the same term as you used for “Holy Spirit” in 1:8b. See the note there. Several English versions also have “Holy Spirit.”

descending on Him like a dove: The Holy Spirit came down on Jesus like a dove. There are two ways to interpret the phrase like a dove in this context:

(1) It refers to the appearance of the Holy Spirit. He looked like a dove. For example:

and the Holy Spirit coming down on him with the form/appearance of a dove

(2) It refers to the way that the Spirit descended. He flew gently down like a dove. For example:

and the Spirit descending on him like a dove gently descends

In this context the Greek text and almost all English versions are ambiguous on the issue. For this reason, it is good to use an expression that can imply either interpretation. However, if you must choose between these interpretations, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The parallel verse in Luke 3:22 specifies that the Holy Spirit had the bodily form of a dove.

on Him: Many scholars and almost all English versions understand this phrase to mean that the Holy Spirit came down and landed on Jesus. (The preposition used here is eis, which usually means “into” or “to.” The preposition epi “upon” is used in the parallels in Matthew 3:16 and Luke 3:22. Some scholars understand this verse to mean that the Holy Spirit descended and entered “into” Jesus to empower him for his ministry. However, other scholars and almost all versions understand that the Holy Spirit came down and landed “on” Jesus. The God’s Word and Contemporary English Version have “to him,” which seems closer to “on” than “into.” Since all the major versions have “on,” these differences of interpretation have not been discussed in the Notes.) Consider how people would describe a bird flying down and landing on someone in your language. The text does not specify exactly whether the dove landed on Jesus’ head or on another part of his body. If possible, you should avoid being specific about where the dove landed.

dove: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as dove refers to several different species of birds. In English, these birds are sometimes called “doves” and sometimes called “pigeons.” The dove described in this passage is probably similar to a common pigeon today. (1.10 In Animals in the Bible (UBS Handbook), “Dove, Pigeon”, it is suggested that the most common bird in the dove-pigeon family in the Middle East today is the Asiatic Rock Dove (also called the Rock Pigeon or Common Pigeon), Columba livia, and would be the most likely identification for yonah in Hebrew and peristera in Greek.) Doves/pigeons are medium-sized birds (30–36 centimeters long). They are usually gray or blue-gray with more color on their necks. They are found all around the world.

For Jews, doves were a symbol of something that is gentle and peaceful. Doves/pigeons that we know today are often not gentle. They can be aggressive and attack other birds. It is important to consider this here where the Holy Spirit is described like a dove.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

• If your readers know doves/pigeons, and they are considered good birds, you should use your word for a dove/pigeon.

• If doves/pigeons are unknown, or if they are considered bad, you may want to use the general word for “bird.”

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Source: SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 2008

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:1

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:2

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:3

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:4

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:5

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:6

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:7

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 1:10

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