24And rising from there he went away into the region of Tyre. And having entered into a house, he wished no one to know, and he was not able to be hidden, and he was not able to be hidden. [7:25] But immediately a woman, having heard about him — whose little daughter possessed an unclean spirit — having come, fell at his feet. [7:26] Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race, and she was asking him that he might cast the demon out of her daughter. [7:27] And he was saying to her: "Permit first the children to be satisfied, for it is not good to take the bread of the children and to cast to the little dogs." [7:28] But she answered and says to him: "Yes, Lord, even the little dogs under the table eat from the crumbs of the children." [7:29] And he said to her: "Because of this word, go — the demon has gone out of your daughter." [7:30] And having gone away to her home she found the child laid on the bed and the demon having gone out.
MRK 7:24-30
The Faith of the Gentile Woman
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Mediterranean world, Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities, known for their wealth and trade but viewed as unclean by Jews due to their pagan practices. The Syrophoenician woman, identified as (Greek), approached Jesus in a culturally bold manner, falling at His feet—a gesture of desperation and humility. Her plea for her (little daughter), afflicted by an unclean spirit, reflects the familial piety expected of women in Greco-Roman society. Jesus’ initial response, referencing the (satisfaction) of the children first, draws on Jewish covenantal language, positioning Israel as the primary recipients of God’s blessings. His use of (little dogs) to describe Gentiles would have been jarring yet softened by the diminutive, evoking household pets rather than scavengers. The woman’s witty retort, leveraging the metaphor, demonstrates her understanding of honor-shame dynamics and her persistence in seeking help. Her faith, recognized by Jesus, transcends ethnic and religious boundaries, challenging assumptions about Gentile inclusion in God’s mercy.
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How other translations render this
MRK 7:24
- KJV
- And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
- BSB
- Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice.
- Koinōnos
- And rising from there he went away into the region of Tyre. And having entered into a house, he wished no one to know, and he was not able to be hidden, and he was not able to be hidden.
MRK 7:25
- KJV
- For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
- BSB
- Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet.
- Koinōnos
- But immediately a woman, having heard about him — whose little daughter possessed an unclean spirit — having come, fell at his feet.
MRK 7:26
- KJV
- The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
- BSB
- Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
- Koinōnos
- Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race, and she was asking him that he might cast the demon out of her daughter.
MRK 7:27
- KJV
- But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
- BSB
- “First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the childrenʼs bread and toss it to the dogs.”
- Koinōnos
- And he was saying to her: "Permit first the children to be satisfied, for it is not good to take the bread of the children and to cast to the little dogs.
MRK 7:28
- KJV
- And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
- BSB
- “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the childrenʼs crumbs.”
- Koinōnos
- But she answered and says to him: "Yes, Lord, even the little dogs under the table eat from the crumbs of the children.
MRK 7:29
- KJV
- And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
- BSB
- Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”
- Koinōnos
- And he said to her: "Because of this word, go — the demon has gone out of your daughter.
MRK 7:30
- KJV
- And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
- BSB
- And she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.
- Koinōnos
- And having gone away to her home she found the child laid on the bed and the demon having gone out.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MRK 7:25
- the:The word translated 'the' here is actually a diminutive form, emphasizing the tenderness and smallness of the daughter, conveying a sense of endearment or vulnerability.
MRK 7:26
- Gentile:The term used here for 'Gentile' specifically refers to a Greek woman, highlighting her cultural and ethnic identity as distinct from Jewish people.
MRK 7:27
- do permit:The word translated 'do permit' carries the sense of being fully satisfied or filled, often used for animals being fed until content, suggesting abundance.
- and:The word translated 'and' here is a diminutive form of 'dog,' specifically meaning a 'little dog' or 'puppy,' often referring to household pets rather than wild or stray dogs.