Mark 3:21 kjv
And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
Mark 3:21 nkjv
But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."
Mark 3:21 niv
When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
Mark 3:21 esv
And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
Mark 3:21 nlt
When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said.
Mark 3 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 3:20 | Then Jesus went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. | Describes the intense crowds making it hard to eat, leading to family's concern. |
| Mk 3:31-35 | Then his mother and his brothers came... he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." | Defines Jesus' true family as those who do God's will, contrasting with the family's misunderstanding here. |
| Mk 6:4 | And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." | Jesus' own words reflect the common experience of rejection from those closest. |
| Jn 1:11 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. | Broad theme of rejection of Christ by "His own." |
| Jn 7:5 | For even his brothers did not believe in him. | Direct statement about the lack of faith among Jesus' own siblings early on. |
| Jn 10:20 | Many of them said, "He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?" | Similar accusation of madness/demon possession against Jesus by others. |
| Acts 26:24 | And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind." | A disciple, Paul, also faced accusations of madness due to his zealous ministry. |
| 2 Cor 5:13 | For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. | Paul acknowledges being perceived as "beside himself" but attributes it to his passion for God. |
| Mt 10:34-37 | "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father..." | Jesus predicting family division as a result of His coming. |
| Lk 12:51-53 | "Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." | Echoes the theme of family division due to commitment to Christ. |
| Jer 20:7-8 | O Lord, you have deceived me... I have become a laughingstock all the day... For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, "Violence and destruction!" | Jeremiah's experience of being mocked and ridiculed for prophetic zeal, mirroring Jesus' situation. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised, and we esteemed him not. | Prophetic foresight of Messiah's rejection and lack of esteem, even from His own. |
| Pss 69:8 | I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. | Poetic expression of rejection by one's own family, applicable to Jesus. |
| Mt 12:22-30 | Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him... "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." | The context immediately following, where scribes accuse Jesus of demonic power, shows varying forms of misunderstanding. |
| Mk 3:6 | The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. | Shows the early, deep-seated opposition and plot against Jesus, contrasting with family's concern. |
| Lk 7:33-35 | For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' | Illustrates how both John and Jesus were criticized, albeit for different perceived eccentricities. |
| Mt 13:54-57 | He came to his hometown... they took offense at him... A prophet is not without honor except in his own hometown and in his own household. | Another account confirming local and family rejection of Jesus' authority. |
| Gal 1:15-16 | But when he who had set me apart before I was born and called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son in me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone. | Paul's immediate calling from God also led to him acting independently of human counsel. |
| 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. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things... | A New Testament example of someone sacrificing greatly for Christ, possibly appearing extreme to others. |
| Lk 8:19-21 | His mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd... "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." | Luke's parallel to Mark 3:31-35, reinforcing the spiritual family over blood ties. |
| Isa 49:7 | Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, a servant of rulers... | Prophecy speaking of the servant's (Messiah's) deep rejection. |
Mark 3 verses
Mark 3 21 Meaning
Mark 3:21 conveys that when Jesus' family heard about the overwhelming intensity of His ministry, the massive crowds surrounding Him, and His radical actions, they believed He was acting irrationally or had lost His mind. They intended to intervene and take control of Him, thinking He was "beside Himself" or deranged, to prevent further perceived damage or scandal.
Mark 3 21 Context
Mark chapter 3 immediately precedes this verse with a description of Jesus' intense popularity and the constant demands placed upon Him (Mk 3:7-12, 20). Large crowds were following Him, making it difficult for Him and His disciples even to eat (Mk 3:20). This verse also acts as a crucial narrative pivot: it sets up the contrasting accusations against Jesus (His family thinking He's mad, and the scribes from Jerusalem accusing Him of being demon-possessed by Beelzebul in Mk 3:22), leading to Jesus' teaching on the unforgivable sin and the definition of His true family (Mk 3:31-35). Historically and culturally, a man in Jewish society engaging in such unconventional, attention-demanding, and tradition-challenging behavior would be highly unusual, causing alarm and concern, especially within his family who bore the social responsibility for his actions. This concern for His mental state reveals the profound misunderstanding and challenge Jesus faced, not just from His religious opponents but also from those closest to Him.
Mark 3 21 Word analysis
- And: A common connective, here links this reaction directly to the prior description of Jesus' intense activity.
- when: Establishes the timing of their action: it was upon hearing about the situation.
- his friends: The Greek, οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ (hoi par' autou), literally means "those from him" or "those beside him." In this context, especially given the subsequent narrative (Mk 3:31-35), it overwhelmingly refers to His family members – His mother and brothers – and possibly close relatives. It indicates those naturally concerned for His well-being due to kinship.
- heard of it: They acted based on reports or news concerning Jesus' overwhelming and unconventional ministry. This was not direct observation for some, but reputation spreading.
- they went out: This implies a deliberate journey from their home (likely Nazareth, where Jesus grew up) to the place where Jesus was ministering.
- to lay hold on him: The Greek, κρατῆσαι αὐτόν (kratēsai auton), means "to seize," "to take hold of," "to control." It suggests an intention to forcibly intervene, restrain, or bring Him back home, perhaps viewing Him as needing protection from Himself or the situation.
- for they said: Reveals their motivation and explanation for their drastic action.
- He is beside himself: The Greek, ἐξέστη (exestē), from existēmi, means "to stand out of oneself," "to be astonished," "to be amazed," but also "to be out of one's mind," "to be deranged," or "to be insane." In this context, it clearly means they thought He was acting irrationally or had lost His sanity due to extreme zeal or pressure.
Words-group analysis
- "his friends... they went out to lay hold on him": This phrase encapsulates the family's deep concern and their decisive, potentially confrontational action driven by that concern. It highlights the familial expectation to control or protect one of their own from what they perceived as dangerous or socially disgraceful behavior.
- "for they said, He is beside himself": This clarifies the precise nature of their concern. It wasn't about sin or blasphemy (as the scribes would later accuse), but about His perceived mental state. This perception, while misguided, reveals the shocking nature of Jesus' ministry even to His closest relatives, demonstrating how revolutionary His path was.
Mark 3 21 Bonus section
- Psychological Aspect: The human tendency to pathologize extreme devotion or actions that deviate from societal norms is reflected here. Jesus' family interpreted His supernatural zeal through a purely human lens, attributing His boundless energy and unconventional lifestyle to mental instability rather than divine anointing.
- Prophetic Parallel: This verse aligns Jesus' experience with that of Old Testament prophets who were often ridiculed, imprisoned, or killed by their own people for their unwavering commitment to God's word (e.g., Jeremiah, Amos). The accusation of madness was a common form of rejection for those challenging the status quo for God.
- Ironic Contrast: The irony lies in the fact that Jesus, who perfectly embodied sanity, wisdom, and divine purpose, was perceived as mad by His own family. Meanwhile, He was perfectly in sync with the will of His Father. This sets a contrast with the subsequent accusation by the scribes who claim He is demon-possessed, emphasizing different forms of misunderstanding of Christ.
Mark 3 21 Commentary
Mark 3:21 is a pivotal verse highlighting the intense personal and relational cost of Jesus' ministry. It portrays Jesus as so utterly absorbed in His divine mission, disregardful of even basic necessities like food, that His own family concluded He was irrational or "out of His mind." This concern wasn't born of malice, but of societal embarrassment and perhaps genuine worry for His well-being, stemming from a fundamental misunderstanding of His messianic calling and the urgency of God's kingdom work. Their intention to "lay hold on Him" reveals their desire to regain control over His life and bring Him back to what they considered normalcy, illustrating how challenging it was even for those closest to Jesus to grasp His radical devotion and identity. This familial opposition underscores that spiritual commitment to God often transcends and even challenges traditional human bonds, serving as a powerful precursor to Jesus' subsequent redefinition of "family" based on doing the will of God rather than bloodline.