Mark 1:15 kjv

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark 1:15 nkjv

and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

Mark 1:15 niv

"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Mark 1:15 esv

and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Mark 1:15 nlt

"The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"

Mark 1 verses

Mark 1 15 Meaning

Mark 1:15 encapsulates the core message of Jesus' ministry. It declares that God's divinely appointed time for salvation has arrived, inaugurating His active reign. Consequently, it calls for a transformative response: a turning away from sin (repentance) and a trusting embrace of the good news concerning God's saving work in Jesus (belief in the gospel). This verse signifies the dawn of a new era of God's redemptive activity on earth.

Mark 1 15 Context

Mark 1:15 marks the definitive beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in the Gospel of Mark. It follows John the Baptist’s arrest (Mk 1:14), signifying a pivotal transition where the herald gives way to the King. John’s preparatory ministry, announcing the Kingdom’s nearness, reaches its climax and completion in Jesus’ direct proclamation. Historically, this verse would resonate with a Jewish audience steeped in prophetic anticipation of God's direct intervention and the coming of the Messiah and His Kingdom. It frames Jesus' entire mission as the fulfillment of divine prophecy and the inauguration of God's promised reign, setting the stage for all that follows in the Gospel.

Mark 1 15 Word analysis

• and saying (καὶ λέγων, kai legōn): Links directly to Jesus after John's arrest. This signifies His public launch.
• The time (ὁ καιρὸς, ho kairos): This is not chronos (linear, sequential time) but kairos, meaning "the opportune, appointed, critical, or right moment." This emphasizes a divinely appointed moment, a fulfillment of God's predetermined plan. Its significance lies in stating that God's grand timeline for salvation has reached its climax.
• is fulfilled (πεπλήρωται, peplerotai): Perfect tense passive from pleroō ("to make full, complete, accomplish"). The perfect tense denotes a past action with ongoing, completed results. It's not just "being fulfilled" but "has been completely fulfilled." This emphasizes divine accomplishment and the readiness of the promised new era. All previous preparations and prophecies concerning the coming of the Kingdom have now been definitively brought to pass in Jesus.
• and the kingdom of God (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, hē basileia tou theou): "Kingdom" here is not primarily a geographical territory but refers to God's active, dynamic rule, reign, and sovereignty. This includes His kingly power breaking into the world through Jesus Christ. Its significance is the inauguration of God's direct and personal government. It points to a realm where God's will is perfectly done.
• is at hand (ἤγγικεν, ēggiken): Perfect tense from engizō ("to draw near, arrive, be imminent, to be present"). This indicates that the Kingdom has already drawn near and is presently available. It signifies proximity, not just in time but in active presence. It implies that God's reign is not just a future hope but an inaugurated reality with accessible power.
• repent (μετανοεῖτε, metanoeite): Imperative, from metanoeō ("to change one's mind, feel remorse, reform"). This is more than sorrow for sin; it's a radical change of mind and direction, a fundamental reorientation of one's entire being and life away from sin and self toward God. It demands a turning, both internally and externally.
• and believe (καὶ πιστεύετε, kai pisteuete): Imperative, from pisteuō ("to trust, put faith in, rely upon"). This requires personal commitment and entrusting oneself entirely to the message proclaimed and to the One proclaiming it. It's an active reliance, not mere intellectual assent.
• in the gospel (ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ, en tō euaggeliō): "Gospel" (εὐαγγέλιον, euangelion) means "good news" or "glad tidings." Here, it specifically refers to the good news about Jesus Himself, His work, and the Kingdom He brings. It is the announcement of God's redemptive actions through Christ. Believing in it means embracing the truth of Jesus' person and mission, including His death, resurrection, and the salvation He offers.

• "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand": These two clauses represent the indicative or declarative aspect of Jesus' message. They proclaim the sovereign reality of God's work. It's God's act, establishing His Kingdom precisely when He purposed. This marks the culmination of Old Testament anticipation.
• "repent and believe in the gospel": These two imperatives constitute the corresponding human response required by God's saving initiative. They are inseparable commands, two sides of the same coin of conversion. Repentance is turning from what is wrong (sin); belief is turning to what is right (God in Christ and His good news). Together, they signify a transformed life, essential for entry into the "at-hand" Kingdom.

Mark 1 15 Bonus section

This verse embodies the concept of "inaugurated eschatology" – the idea that the "last things" (God's final Kingdom, judgment, salvation) have already broken into human history with the coming of Christ, even though they are not yet fully consummated. The Kingdom of God is "already" present through Jesus' work and spiritual reality, but "not yet" fully manifested in its consummated form at His second coming. Mark positions this foundational statement at the very outset of Jesus' public ministry to immediately establish the core purpose and radical nature of His arrival and message. This concise summary sets the stage for every miracle, teaching, and conflict that follows, always against the backdrop of the proclaimed and encroaching Kingdom of God.

Mark 1 15 Commentary

Mark 1:15 introduces Jesus' foundational proclamation, acting as a concise summary of His entire mission. He declares that the opportune moment anticipated by prophecies has arrived; God's active kingly rule is no longer distant but present and accessible. This immediate presence of God's Kingdom demands a decisive human response. "Repentance" signifies a radical inward and outward turning away from sin, a complete change of mind that leads to a new way of living. Concurrently, "belief in the gospel" is the affirmative turning towards God, an act of trusting allegiance to the good news of Jesus Christ's person and work. Both commands are non-negotiable for participating in this inaugurated Kingdom. It’s an urgent call, not to passively wait, but to actively engage with God's new redemptive reality established through His Son. This message underscores that God has acted, and humanity must respond in faith and transformation.For example, this call means acknowledging past wrongs and deliberately choosing to live according to Christ's teachings, relying completely on Him for salvation and new life.