Mark 16 4

Mark 16:4 kjv

And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Mark 16:4 nkjv

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away?for it was very large.

Mark 16:4 niv

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

Mark 16:4 esv

And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back ? it was very large.

Mark 16:4 nlt

But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.

Mark 16 verses

Mark 16 4 Meaning

Mark 16:4 describes the pivotal moment when the women arriving at Jesus' tomb discover the colossal stone, which they had worried about, had already been moved from the entrance. This discovery is a profound moment, revealing the completion of an unseen, divine action, signaling that the barrier to death's domain had been removed, and implicitly pointing to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The "very large" size of the stone underscores the miraculous nature of its removal, highlighting that human effort was insufficient for such a task.

Mark 16 4 Context

Mark 16:4 is part of the climactic resurrection narrative in the Gospel of Mark. Immediately preceding this verse (Mark 16:1-3), Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome buy spices to anoint Jesus' body. As they journey to the tomb at dawn, they voice their concern: "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" (Mark 16:3). This question sets the stage, highlighting the seemingly insurmountable obstacle presented by the tomb's sealing stone. Verse 4 then dramatically answers their question by showing the stone already moved, clearing the way for their discovery of the empty tomb and the subsequent angelic announcement (Mark 16:5-7) that Jesus has risen. The historical context reveals the common practice of sealing tombs with large, heavy stones to secure the burial chamber, making the removal of such a stone, especially without human effort, a highly significant event.

Mark 16 4 Word analysis

• And (kai - καὶ): A connective particle linking the women's approach and concern with their profound discovery.
• looking up (anablepsasai - ἀναβλέψασαι): A participle (feminine plural aorist) derived from anablepō, meaning "to look up" or "to regain sight." It implies a deliberate action, perhaps an effort as they approached the steep path to the tomb, or a raising of their eyes in expectation or apprehension about the great stone, making their discovery even more striking.
• they saw (theōrousin - θεωροῦσιν): From theōreō, which suggests more than just a casual glance. It implies observing, beholding, or contemplating. They weren't merely aware; they actively perceived and comprehended the sight before them.
• that the stone (hoti ho lithos - ὅτι ὁ λίθος): Hoti serves here to introduce the object of their sight. Lithos refers specifically to the large, round, millstone-shaped boulder used to seal the tomb.
• had been rolled away (apekekyllistai - ἀποκεκύλισται): This verb is a perfect passive indicative.
  • Perfect Tense: Indicates a completed action with lasting results. The rolling away happened before the women arrived; they found it already done. This is crucial because it shows the women were not eyewitnesses to the act of removal but discovered its accomplished state.
  • Passive Voice: Implies that the action was performed by an external, non-human agent, effectively highlighting divine intervention, rather than the act being attributed to humans or the women themselves.
• for (gar - γάρ): A causal conjunction, providing the reason or explanation for their initial concern about the stone and underscoring the significance of its being rolled away.
• it was (ēn - ἦν): Simple past tense, stating a factual condition.
• very (sphodra - σφόδρα): An adverb intensifying the adjective megas. It means "exceedingly," "greatly," or "very much."
• large (megas - μέγας): Describes the substantial size of the stone. This emphasizes the insurmountable obstacle the women anticipated and further magnifies the miracle of its removal, showcasing that it was a feat beyond human capability.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• And looking up, they saw: This phrase vividly portrays the women's approach and the moment of revelation. Their act of "looking up" signifies their anticipation and the challenge of the large stone, making their subsequent "seeing" of its absence all the more astonishing. The discovery is immediate and clear.
• that the stone had been rolled away: This is the central discovery. The emphasis is on the stone's absence from its position, a fact already completed before their arrival. The divine, invisible agency behind this monumental task speaks volumes without needing an explicit agent named in Mark at this specific point (though Matthew clarifies it was an angel).
• for it was very large: This causal clause provides crucial context. It validates the women's initial apprehension and confirms the human impossibility of such a task, thereby magnifying the miraculous nature of its accomplishment and implicitly pointing to the divine power involved in clearing the way for the resurrection's full revelation. It establishes the significant challenge that was supernaturally overcome.

Mark 16 4 Bonus section

The seemingly insignificant detail of the stone's "very large" size serves a profound theological purpose in Mark's narrative. It immediately refutes any possibility that the disciples, or the women, could have secretly moved Jesus' body. The sheer weight and dimension of the stone would have necessitated immense strength and perhaps specialized tools, ruling out clandestine human effort. Thus, the physical impossibility of its removal by ordinary means powerfully affirms the supernatural nature of the event, serving as a silent but irrefutable witness to the divine intervention that cleared the path for Christ's emergence from the grave. This also highlights a pattern in Scripture where divine power is manifested most clearly when human capacity is utterly inadequate. The stone, intended to ensure death's finality, instead becomes an iconic symbol of God's complete victory over it.

Mark 16 4 Commentary

Mark 16:4 delivers a powerful and concise statement regarding the first physical evidence of Jesus' resurrection. The women's human concern about the "very large" stone that sealed the tomb entrance, voiced in the preceding verse, sets up a dramatic reveal. Their "looking up" to survey the daunting task ahead leads them to witness the astonishing fact: the massive barrier has already been supernaturally removed. The perfect passive tense ("had been rolled away") is vital, indicating a completed action initiated by an unseen, mighty force, not something they witnessed happening or accomplished themselves. This verse establishes the empty tomb, free of its stone, as the initial, undeniable sign that something profound, far beyond human ability, had occurred. It prepares the way for the angelic announcement, focusing on the obstacle's removal as a testament to God's triumphant power over death's grip.