MRK 10:46-52

Jesus Heals Bartimaeus

46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a considerable crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!"

48And many were sternly warning him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you."

50And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

51And Jesus responded and said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabboni, let me regain my sight."

52And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has healed you." And immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road.

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Judea, blindness often relegated individuals to begging, as they were excluded from most forms of labor. Bartimaeus, identified as a (professional beggar), would have been a familiar figure at the roadside, dependent on alms for survival. His cry, 'Son of David,' invokes messianic expectations tied to Davidic lineage, a politically charged title in Roman-occupied Judea. The crowd’s rebuke reflects societal norms silencing those deemed unworthy or disruptive. Bartimaeus’ persistence, however, demonstrates his recognition of Jesus’ authority and his desperation for healing. Jesus’ command to call Bartimaeus and the crowd’s shift to encouragement ('take courage') highlight the transformative power of Jesus’ presence, overturning social hierarchies. Bartimaeus’ casting aside his (outer garment) signifies a decisive act, abandoning his sole possession and identity as a beggar to approach Jesus. This encounter underscores Jesus’ accessibility to the marginalized and his challenge to societal norms of exclusion.

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How other translations render this

MRK 10:46

KJV: And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
BSB: Next, they came to Jericho. And as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road.
Koinōnos: And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a considerable crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

MRK 10:47

KJV: And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
BSB: When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Koinōnos: And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!

MRK 10:48

KJV: And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
BSB: Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Koinōnos: And many were sternly warning him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!

MRK 10:49

KJV: And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
BSB: Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man. “Take courage!” they said. “Get up! He is calling for you.”
Koinōnos: And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you.

MRK 10:50

KJV: And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
BSB: Throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus jumped up and came to Jesus.
Koinōnos: And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

MRK 10:51

KJV: And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
BSB: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Rabboni,” said the blind man, “let me see again.”
Koinōnos: And Jesus responded and said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabboni, let me regain my sight.

MRK 10:52

KJV: And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
BSB: “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Koinōnos: And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has healed you." And immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MRK 10:46

blind:The word translated 'blind' here specifically refers to someone who was a beggar, indicating their complete dependence on others for survival due to their blindness.

MRK 10:47

Jesus,:The term used here for 'Jesus' is part of a plea for mercy, carrying the sense of a deep, compassionate response to someone in distress or need.

MRK 10:48

were rebuking:The word translated 'were rebuking' implies a strong warning or a stern command to silence someone, often with the intent to prevent further action or speech.

MRK 10:50

cloak:The 'cloak' mentioned here was an outer garment, often a large, rectangular piece of cloth that could serve as a blanket or even a form of identification, and was easily removed.