Mark 14:52 kjv
And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
Mark 14:52 nkjv
and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
Mark 14:52 niv
he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Mark 14:52 esv
but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
Mark 14:52 nlt
he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.
Mark 14 52 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 14:50 | And they all left him and fled. | General abandonment of Jesus by all disciples. |
| Matt 26:56 | ...Then all the disciples left him and fled. | Parallel account emphasizing the disciples' flight. |
| Jn 16:32 | "...Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own place, and leave me alone..." | Jesus' prophecy of His disciples' scattering. |
| Zech 13:7 | "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my companion," declares the Lord of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones." | Old Testament prophecy of the shepherd being struck and the flock scattering. |
| Mk 14:27 | And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'" | Jesus quoting Zech 13:7, foretelling their desertion. |
| Matt 26:31 | Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'" | Jesus' parallel prophecy to His disciples concerning their abandonment. |
| Isa 20:2-4 | ...my servant Isaiah walk naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Cush... | Prophetic nakedness symbolizing humiliation and defeat. |
| Mic 1:8 | For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked... | Nakedness as a sign of deep grief, shame, and distress. |
| Gen 3:7-10 | Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths... | Nakedness as a state of shame and exposure after sin. |
| Rev 3:17-18 | For you say, 'I am rich, have prospered, and need nothing,' not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire... and white garments... | Spiritual nakedness highlighting self-deception and the need for Christ's righteousness. |
| Rev 16:15 | ("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not walk about naked and be seen exposed!") | Spiritual vigilance to maintain one's covering and avoid shame. |
| Job 24:10 | They go about naked, without clothing; hungry, they carry sheaves... | Nakedness as a sign of extreme poverty and destitution. |
| Hos 2:3 | Else I will strip her naked and make her as in the day she was born... | Divine judgment bringing about public exposure and shame. |
| Eze 23:26 | I will strip you of your clothes and take away your jewels. | God's judgment leading to a nation being stripped of its adornments. |
| Lam 1:8 | Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness... | Public shame and defilement due to transgressions. |
| Jn 19:23 | When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts... | Jesus being stripped, contrasting human flight with divine enduring humiliation. |
| Lk 22:54 | Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. | The arrest and immediate aftermath, providing context for the frantic escape. |
| 2 Tim 4:16 | At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! | An apostle's experience of being deserted by others. |
| Prov 28:1 | The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. | A contrast between the wicked's unfounded fear and the righteous's courage, applicable to those fleeing in panic. |
| Phil 3:7-8 | But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... | A broader theme of giving up everything, even physical comfort or dignity, though in a different spiritual context, yet for Christ. |
Mark 14 verses
Mark 14 52 Meaning
Mark 14:52 describes an unnamed young man who, when Jesus was arrested, was so terrified that he left behind his linen cloth, fleeing away naked. This specific and vivid detail captures the profound chaos, fear, and complete abandonment experienced by Jesus' followers during His capture. It highlights their vulnerability and disarray in sharp contrast to Christ's steadfast and resolute acceptance of His destiny.
Mark 14 52 Context
Mark 14:52 takes place immediately following Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The preceding verses (Mk 14:43-51) detail the treacherous betrayal by Judas Iscariot, the sudden arrival of the armed crowd, and the brief, failed resistance by one of the disciples, presumably Peter, who strikes the high priest's servant. Following Jesus' statement about being captured as if a robber, Mark 14:50 notes, "And they all left Him and fled." Verse 52 offers a vivid, unique, and somewhat perplexing personal anecdote that encapsulates this flight. The cultural context reveals that public nakedness in ancient times was a profound source of shame and humiliation, symbolizing utter defeat, destitution, or divine judgment. Thus, this desperate act emphasizes the complete terror and undignified haste with which Jesus' followers abandoned Him, highlighting their unpreparedness and profound fear compared to Jesus' calm and deliberate movement towards His suffering.
Mark 14 52 Word analysis
- And (καὶ, kai): A simple conjunction that introduces this distinct, almost anecdotal, detail directly after the general statement that all disciples fled. It gives this event an almost singular, eyewitness quality, drawing immediate attention.
- he (implied from Mk 14:51): The unnamed "young man" (νεανίσκος, neaniskos) from the preceding verse. His anonymity often suggests he is either an "Everyman" figure representing all bewildered disciples, or, as some scholars propose, a deliberate authorial signature, possibly Mark himself.
- left (καταλιπὼν, katalipōn): Literally "leaving down" or "abandoning." This word denotes a deliberate act of letting go or discarding something for the purpose of escape, emphasizing the swift, panic-driven nature of his decision to shed his clothing.
- the linen cloth (σινδόνα, sindona): This refers to a single piece of fine linen cloth, likely a simple wrap or sleeping sheet, especially suitable for warm Mediterranean nights. The mention of this singular item underscores his likely state—perhaps sleeping nearby or having been awakened abruptly. Its abandonment indicates a complete disregard for comfort or modesty in the face of terror.
- and fled away (ἔφυγεν, ephugen): The verb "fled" strongly conveys flight due to fear or danger. This action is abrupt and urgent, demonstrating an overwhelming desire to escape the scene of the arrest, consistent with the general flight of all the other disciples.
- naked (γυμνὸς, gymnos): This term signifies being completely unclothed or stripped. In this context, it vividly emphasizes the extremity of the young man's panic, where the intense fear of capture overcame the profound cultural shame associated with public nakedness. This imagery profoundly underscores vulnerability, helplessness, and disgrace.
Words-group analysis
- "And he left the linen cloth": This phrase details a sudden, decisive action. The young man's immediate shedding of his garment, whatever it might have been—a night covering, or simple outer wear—underscores his urgency and terror, sacrificing basic decorum for unhindered flight. This unique and seemingly odd detail grounds the narrative in stark realism, suggesting an eyewitness account.
- "and fled away naked": This vivid conclusion of the young man's action climactically conveys the utter panic and deep humiliation he endured. Fleeing naked was the ultimate sign of disgrace and extreme vulnerability in that cultural context. It visually depicts the spiritual "unclothedness" or exposure of the disciples, whose faith and courage were stripped bare by the sudden onset of persecution, contrasting sharply with Jesus' composed readiness for His suffering.
Mark 14 52 Bonus section
The precise identity of the "young man" in Mark 14:51-52 has remained a point of long-standing discussion among biblical scholars and traditions. Many interpret this highly specific, almost personal, detail as an "authorial signature" of John Mark himself, the presumed author of the Gospel. In this view, Mark was a firsthand witness, perhaps disturbed from sleep in a nearby house, adding a personal, albeit humiliating, detail to authenticate his account. Whether it was Mark or another unnamed follower, this scene serves as a potent symbolic parallel: just as the young man's clothing was stripped away in panic, Jesus Himself would later be stripped of His garments before crucifixion (Jn 19:23, Matt 27:28), highlighting ultimate vulnerability and humiliation. Furthermore, some suggest a thematic link between this "young man" fleeing naked from the arrested Christ and the "young man" in a white robe proclaiming the risen Christ at the empty tomb in Mark 16:5. This creates a literary bracket that bookends the Passion narrative, showing how human weakness and flight at the cross give way to divine victory at the resurrection.
Mark 14 52 Commentary
Mark 14:52 stands as one of the most singular and striking details in the New Testament. Immediately following the comprehensive statement that "all" the disciples abandoned Jesus and fled, this verse spotlights a bizarre and ignominious escape of a specific, unnamed young man. His desperate act of shedding his single linen garment and fleeing completely naked into the night profoundly communicates the pervasive terror, disarray, and acute shame felt by Jesus' followers. This extreme detail highlights not only physical panic but also the spiritual vulnerability and un-readiness of even those closest to Christ when confronted with intense adversity. The stark contrast between the disciples' ignoble flight and Jesus' serene self-possession under arrest serves to emphasize His singular obedience and solitary journey towards the cross. It reminds believers that courage under pressure comes from Christ alone.