Mark 1 24

Mark 1:24 kjv

Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

Mark 1:24 nkjv

saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are?the Holy One of God!"

Mark 1:24 niv

"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are?the Holy One of God!"

Mark 1:24 esv

"What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are ? the Holy One of God."

Mark 1:24 nlt

"Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are ? the Holy One of God!"

Mark 1 24 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Demonic Recognition/Confession of Jesus' Identity
Mk 3:11–12And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God!"Demons knew Jesus’ identity.
Lk 4:41And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak...Demons identifying Jesus.
Acts 19:15But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?"Demons acknowledge Jesus' supreme authority.
Jesus' Authority Over Demons
Mk 1:27And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."Demonstrates Jesus’ unique authority.
Mk 1:34And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.Jesus silences demons, asserting control.
Lk 4:36And wonder seized them all, and they began to talk with one another, saying, "What is this word, for with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"Reinforces Jesus' authority over spirits.
Mt 8:16That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.Jesus casts out demons by His word alone.
Mk 5:7"What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."Similar demonic confrontation in Gadara.
1 Jn 3:8Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.Jesus' purpose is to destroy evil.
Heb 2:14Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.Jesus defeats the devil's power.
Rev 20:10and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.Ultimate fate of Satan and his demons.
"Holy One of God" / Jesus' Purity & Divinity
Psa 16:10For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.Messianic prophecy, Jesus as the "Holy One."
Acts 2:27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.Peter applies Psa 16:10 to Christ.
Jn 6:69We have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.Peter’s confession parallels demon’s recognition.
Lk 1:35The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.Angel Gabriel affirms Jesus' holiness and divine sonship.
Psa 89:19-20Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said, "I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him,"Connects "holy one" to a chosen, anointed servant of God (Messianic implications).
"What have you to do with us?" (Tí hēmin kai soi?) idiom
Judg 11:12But Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, "What is there between you and me, that you have come against me to fight in my land?"Expression of disassociation or protest.
2 Sam 16:10But the king said, "What have you to do with me, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who has a right to say, ‘Why have you done so?’"Indicates lack of common ground/conflict.
2 Kgs 3:13Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have you to do with me? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother."Rejection of shared interest/connection.
Jn 2:4And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."Jesus' response implying His work has distinct timing/purpose.
Jesus of Nazareth (Humility vs. Divine Status)
Jn 1:46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."Reflects Nazareth’s humble, even despised, reputation.

Mark 1 verses

Mark 1 24 Meaning

Mark 1:24 depicts a dramatic confrontation in the synagogue at Capernaum where an unclean spirit, inhabiting a man, confronts Jesus. The demon expresses hostility, demanding separation from Jesus, and fear, asking if Jesus has come to destroy them. Despite its evil nature, the demon possesses uncanny spiritual discernment, accurately proclaiming Jesus' true identity as "the Holy One of God." This immediate recognition of Jesus’s unique divine authority and purpose, especially from a spiritual adversary, underscores His profound holiness and power to confront and conquer the kingdom of darkness. The demon’s words confirm Jesus’s mission to undo the works of the devil.

Mark 1 24 Context

Mark chapter 1 introduces Jesus’ public ministry, beginning with John the Baptist’s prophetic forerunner role, Jesus’ baptism, and temptation. Immediately following these foundational events, Jesus begins teaching and healing in Galilee, establishing His authority. Verse 24 is part of Jesus’ first significant public display of power within the synagogue in Capernaum. This is His inaugural recorded exorcism in Mark’s Gospel, vividly demonstrating His power over unclean spirits and His distinct authority compared to traditional Jewish teachers and exorcists. The context is vital because it establishes early on that Jesus’ teaching comes with unparalleled authority, extending even into the spiritual realm, thereby confirming His unique identity to the public, albeit sometimes against His immediate wish to keep it discreet. Historically, the synagogue was the center for Jewish learning and communal gathering, making this public display of authority particularly impactful. Belief in spiritual beings, good and evil, was prevalent in Jewish society, yet Jesus’ method of casting out demons by simple command, without incantations, set Him apart.

Mark 1 24 Word analysis

  • "What have you to do with us," (τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί, ti hēmin kai soi): This Greek idiom literally means "What is there to us and to you?" It expresses a forceful disassociation, a strong protest against interference, or an inquiry into why two disparate entities should interact. Here, it signifies the demon's realization of an inevitable and hostile conflict between its domain of darkness and Jesus’s holy presence. It indicates an existential threat perceived by the demon from Jesus.
  • "Jesus of Nazareth?" (Ἰησοῦ Ναζαρηνέ, Iēsou Nazarenē): The demon addresses Jesus by His common human identifier, acknowledging His earthly origin in the humble town of Nazareth. This juxtaposition of the human address with the divine confession ("Holy One of God") is stark. It contrasts Jesus's humble earthly beginnings with His supernatural identity, showcasing the demon’s complete understanding of who He is despite His appearance.
  • "Have you come to destroy us?" (ἦλθες ἀπολέσαι ἡμᾶς, ēltes apolesai hēmas?): The verb "destroy" (ἀπολέσαι, apolesai) indicates complete ruin, annihilation, or utter defeat. This question reveals the demon's awareness of Jesus' ultimate purpose concerning the forces of evil – their certain judgment and ultimate overthrow. It is a cry of fear from the demon, confirming that Jesus’s presence is an end-times event signaling the demise of Satan's kingdom.
  • "I know who you are—" (οἶδά σε τίς εἶ, oida se tis ei): The verb "know" (οἶδα, oida) signifies a complete, experiential, and undeniable recognition, not just intellectual understanding. Demons possess a profound, spiritual, and immediate discernment of divine identity that often surpasses human recognition, making their confession especially significant. This contrasts sharply with the disciples' gradual realization.
  • "the Holy One of God!" (ὁ Ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ho Hagios tou Theou): This is a profound title. "Holy One" (Ἅγιος, Hagios) signifies someone set apart by God, pure, consecrated, and utterly undefiled. "of God" indicates divine origin and belonging. The phrase points to Jesus’ unique and inherent purity, divine nature, and special status as Messiah, divinely appointed and distinct from all creation. It confirms His unique relationship with God as His sanctified Son.
  • "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?" This opening exclamation demonstrates the demon's immediate, hostile recognition of Jesus’s identity and His invasive presence in their territory. It's a terrified protest, understanding that Jesus’s arrival signifies the confrontation and inevitable destruction of the demonic realm. This phrase serves as a desperate plea to assert boundary and avert their anticipated doom.
  • "I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" This final confession, though compelled, is a profound and theologically accurate declaration. It highlights the demons’ unique spiritual insight, revealing Jesus’s intrinsic purity, divine nature, and direct relationship with God. Coming from an "unclean" spirit, this acknowledgment of Jesus as "Holy" serves as ironic and powerful testimony to Jesus's absolute sanctity and Messianic authority, even before humanity fully grasped it.

Mark 1 24 Bonus section

This incident occurring within the synagogue, the heart of Jewish communal and religious life, makes Jesus's authority publicly undeniable. The demon's accurate theological declaration, although given from an impure source, paradoxically validates Jesus's divinity from the very forces He came to conquer. This serves as a literary device to contrast the profound spiritual insight of the demonic world with the blindness or gradual understanding of the human realm, including even the religious authorities and His own disciples. Jesus’s immediate silencing of the demon (in the subsequent verse, Mk 1:25) is crucial, indicating His full control over evil and His determination to reveal His identity and mission on His own terms, not through the confused or potentially misdirecting witness of an evil spirit. This episode is not merely an exorcism; it is a foundational clash between God's kingdom, embodied by Jesus, and the dominion of Satan, showcasing Jesus's absolute supremacy.

Mark 1 24 Commentary

Mark 1:24 is a pivotal moment early in Jesus’ ministry, serving as an immediate and potent revelation of His identity and authority. It showcases that Jesus is not merely a human teacher or healer but the very Son of God, powerfully opposed to the kingdom of darkness. The unclean spirit, sensing Jesus' presence, cannot endure it. Its panicked outburst "What have you to do with us?" reflects the absolute incompatibility between light and darkness, holiness and impurity. The demon's question, "Have you come to destroy us?" demonstrates an intrinsic awareness of Jesus's eschatological purpose: to dismantle evil’s dominion. Most significantly, the demon's compelled confession, "the Holy One of God," underscores Jesus’s unique divine nature and absolute purity, revealing a truth many human observers struggle to accept. This confession from an adversarial source carries significant weight, authenticating Jesus' identity from the realm that stands most in opposition to Him. This initial encounter immediately establishes Jesus' unquestionable authority over spiritual evil, a theme central to Mark's Gospel.