12And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they were sacrificing the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" [14:13] And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a clay jar of water will meet you. Follow him. [14:14] And wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' [14:15] And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Prepare it for us there." [14:16] And the disciples went out and came to the city and found it just as he told them, and they prepared the Passover.
MRK 14:12-16
Preparing the Passover
In the world it was spoken into
In first-century Judea, the Passover was a deeply significant festival commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. It required meticulous preparation, including the sacrifice of a lamb and the removal of all leaven from homes, symbolizing purity and haste. The disciples’ question about where to prepare the Passover reflects the communal and domestic nature of the meal, typically eaten in family or group settings within Jerusalem. The mention of unleavened bread underscores the festival’s strict dietary laws. Jesus’ instructions to follow a man carrying a clay water jar would have been striking, as this task was typically performed by women or servants. The upper room described as 'large, furnished, and ready' suggests a space prepared for hospitality, likely in a wealthy household. This detail highlights the social networks and patronage systems of the time, where such rooms were often made available for guests during festivals. The scene reflects the blending of ritual observance with practical arrangements in a highly structured Jewish context.
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How other translations render this
MRK 14:12
- KJV
- And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?
- BSB
- On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesusʼ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
- Koinōnos
- And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they were sacrificing the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?
MRK 14:13
- KJV
- And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
- BSB
- So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him,
- Koinōnos
- And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a clay jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
MRK 14:14
- KJV
- And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
- BSB
- and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’
- Koinōnos
- And wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?
MRK 14:15
- KJV
- And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.
- BSB
- And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”
- Koinōnos
- And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Prepare it for us there.
MRK 14:16
- KJV
- And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
- BSB
- So the disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover.
- Koinōnos
- And the disciples went out and came to the city and found it just as he told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MRK 14:12
- of unleavened [bread],:The word translated 'unleavened' refers specifically to bread made without yeast, a crucial detail for the Passover meal which commemorated the hasty departure from Egypt, leaving no time for bread to rise.
- Passover lamb:The term 'Passover lamb' here refers to the sacrificial lamb central to the Passover celebration, whose blood marked the doorposts in Egypt and whose meat was eaten at the feast.
MRK 14:13
- a pitcher:The word translated 'pitcher' specifically denotes a clay jar, commonly used for carrying water, which would have been a familiar sight in 1st-century daily life.
MRK 14:14
- guest room:The word translated 'guest room' could also refer to a lodging place or an inn, indicating a temporary space set aside for visitors, rather than a permanent part of a private home.