Mark 14 12

Mark 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?

Mark 14:12 nkjv

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"

Mark 14:12 niv

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

Mark 14:12 esv

And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

Mark 14:12 nlt

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?"

Mark 14 verses

Mark 14 12 Meaning

Mark 14:12 establishes the precise historical and ritual context for Jesus' final Passover meal: it is "the first day of Unleavened Bread," the time when the Passover lamb was sacrificed in the Jerusalem Temple. The disciples' ensuing question indicates their intention to observe this sacred tradition, seeking guidance from Jesus on where to prepare the meal for Him. The verse underscores the adherence to Jewish custom while setting the stage for Jesus to transform its meaning.

Mark 14 12 Context

Mark 14:12 provides the immediate setting for the Last Supper, initiating the Passion narrative. Chronologically, it follows Jesus' anointing at Bethany (Mk 14:3-9) and the plot by religious leaders to seize and kill Him (Mk 14:10-11). This verse marks the beginning of the crucial days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.

Culturally and historically, the Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) were intimately connected. Passover commemorates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt and the sparing of their firstborns when the "death angel" passed over houses marked with lamb's blood. The Feast of Unleavened Bread, immediately following Passover, remembered the hasty departure from Egypt, leaving no time for bread to rise. Jewish custom stipulated that on Nisan 14, families slaughtered their Passover lambs at the Temple in Jerusalem. Later that evening (which, by Jewish reckoning, was the start of Nisan 15), the Passover meal (Seder) was eaten. Mark's phrase "On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb," though sometimes debated by scholars regarding precise timing alignment with other Gospel accounts or Rabbinic dating, accurately portrays the Jewish practice where the entire eight-day festival complex was often referred to simply as "Passover" or "Unleavened Bread." Within Mark's narrative, this places the Last Supper firmly in the context of this pivotal Israelite celebration.

Mark 14 12 Word analysis

• On the first day (Πρώτῃ - Prōtē): Derived from protos, meaning "first" or "foremost." This specifies the beginning of a significant period. While the Feast of Unleavened Bread strictly began on Nisan 15, the preparation day and slaughter of the Passover lamb on Nisan 14 was commonly considered its opening phase, particularly in colloquial Jewish usage.
• of Unleavened Bread (τῶν ἀζύμων - tōn azymōn): From azymos (meaning "without leaven" or "unleavened"). Refers to Matzah, the flat, unrisen bread eaten during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Biblically, leaven often symbolized corruption, sin, or pride (1 Cor 5:6-8; Gal 5:9). The removal of leaven emphasized spiritual purity and new beginnings.
• when they sacrificed (ὅτε ἔθυον - hote ethyon): The verb ethyon (from thyō) means "to slaughter," "to sacrifice." The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing, customary, or repeated action. It points to the general practice of all Jewish people slaughtering their Passover lambs in the Temple courtyard on this specific day. This was a communal and vital religious act prescribed in the Torah.
• the Passover lamb (τὸ πάσχα - to pascha): From Hebrew Pesach (פֶּסַח). This term refers primarily to the sacrificial lamb offered during Passover, but it also designates the entire Passover festival and the meal itself. Its deep historical meaning in Exodus connects directly to redemption through blood and a communal meal.
• his disciples (οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ - hoi mathētai autou): The customary term for Jesus' followers. This signifies their role as participants in Jewish tradition and as pupils awaiting their Master's instruction. Their question shows their faithful intent to observe the Feast.
• said to him (λέγουσιν αὐτῷ - legousin autō): Present tense, creating a sense of immediacy and direct address.
• 'Where will you have us go' (Ποῦ θέλεις ἀπελθόντες - Pou theleis apelthontes): An eager and obedient inquiry. Theleis (from thelō) implies "you wish" or "you desire," highlighting Jesus' authority and their submission to His direction. Apelthontes means "having gone."
• and prepare (ἑτοιμάσωμεν - hetoimasōmen): From hetoimazō, "to make ready," "to get ready," "to prepare." For the Passover, this involved securing a proper, ritually clean space, acquiring all necessary elements like unleavened bread, wine, bitter herbs, and the roasted lamb, and setting the table appropriately.
• for you to eat the Passover?' (φάγῃ τὸ πάσχα; - phagy to pascha): This specific request ("for you") emphasizes Jesus' centrality to the Passover celebration. It foreshadows His unique role as both the one for whom the meal is prepared and the fulfillment of the meal itself.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,": This phrase meticulously establishes the temporal and ritual setting. It combines "Unleavened Bread" (referring to the broader 7-day feast) with the specific "sacrifice of the Passover lamb" (which happened on Nisan 14), indicating a common Jewish way of speaking about this sacred day when the lamb was slain, the day immediately preceding the Passover Seder proper. It highlights the impending sacrifice, foreshadowing Jesus' role as the ultimate Lamb.
• "his disciples said to him, 'Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?'": This question demonstrates the disciples' traditional piety and their expectation that Jesus would observe the Passover with them. More significantly, their direct query to Jesus about "where He desired" and "prepare for Him" underscores Jesus' authoritative position and anticipates His precise, almost prophetic, instructions that follow, setting the scene for His deliberate fulfillment and redefinition of the Passover meal.

Mark 14 12 Bonus section

• The phrasing in Mark 14:12, combining "the first day of Unleavened Bread" with "when they sacrificed the Passover lamb," reflects a common Jewish tendency to view the entire eight-day festival season (Passover day + Feast of Unleavened Bread) as a single, interconnected unit. This helps to harmonize the synoptic accounts that depict the Last Supper as a Passover meal with traditional Jewish calendar reckonings, though precise scholarly reconciliation with John's Gospel often remains complex.
• The ritual removal of leaven (chametz) from Jewish homes before Passover signified purification, pointing to the need for internal cleansing before observing the sacred feast. For believers, this aspect takes on New Covenant significance, as Christ, our Passover Lamb, allows us to "cleanse out the old leaven" (1 Cor 5:7-8) of sin to live a life of sincerity and truth.
• The detail of the disciples' question shows their traditional mindset, focused on practical, logistical preparation for a prescribed religious event. Jesus' response (in Mark 14:13-16) elevates the situation, moving beyond simple logistics to reveal His messianic authority and intimate knowledge of coming events, orchestrated according to God's plan.

Mark 14 12 Commentary

Mark 14:12 is a pivot point in the Gospel, moving from Jesus' last public ministry interactions to the solemn events of His Passion. By specifically placing the Last Supper on "the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb," Mark intentionally connects Jesus' imminent death with the annual ritual sacrifice of the Passover lamb in the Temple. This precise timing positions Jesus not merely as a participant in a historical observance but as the very antitype of the lamb, the true Passover Lamb whose sacrifice would deliver His people from spiritual bondage to sin. The act of "sacrificing the Passover lamb" thus carries profound significance, implying that Jesus Himself will become that sacrifice.

The disciples' practical question—"Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"—reveals their readiness to observe the Mosaic command and their expectation of Jesus' leadership. It shows that even amidst the plotting against Him, life for Jesus and His disciples continues according to Jewish law and custom, yet this observance is about to be radically transformed. Their query subtly anticipates Jesus' detailed and preordained instructions (found in the subsequent verses), showcasing His divine foreknowledge and sovereign control even in the face of His impending suffering. This final Passover, therefore, is not merely a meal but a pre-arranged divine drama.