Mark 5 26

Mark 5:26 kjv

And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

Mark 5:26 nkjv

and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

Mark 5:26 niv

She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.

Mark 5:26 esv

and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

Mark 5:26 nlt

She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.

Mark 5 verses

Mark 5 26 Meaning

This verse describes the dire physical, social, and financial plight of the woman with a twelve-year hemorrhage before she encountered Jesus. It vividly portrays her extensive suffering at the hands of various human healers, the total depletion of her financial resources, and the tragic fact that her condition not only failed to improve but actually worsened over time, highlighting the futility of her human efforts and deep despair.

Mark 5 26 Context

Mark 5:26 is part of the larger narrative where Jesus is interrupted on His way to heal Jairus's daughter (Mk 5:21-24, 35-43). This interlude (Mk 5:25-34) focuses on the "woman with a hemorrhage," a nameless individual whose twelve years of suffering stands in stark contrast to Jairus's influential status. Historically and culturally, a continuous flow of blood rendered a woman ceremonially unclean under Levitical law (Lev 15:25-30), ostracizing her from communal and religious life. This impurity meant she could not touch anyone or participate in public worship without making others unclean. Ancient medicine, often rudimentary and sometimes harmful, failed her completely, exacerbating her isolation and poverty. This verse specifically details her pre-Jesus condition, setting the stage for the remarkable power and compassion of Jesus, who transgresses social and religious norms to touch and heal the unclean. It serves as a polemic against reliance on human means (doctors, money) versus divine power (Jesus).

Mark 5 26 Word analysis

• and had suffered: Greek: kai peponthen (καὶ πεπόνθεν). From pascho (πάσχω), meaning to suffer, endure, or experience something intensely. The perfect tense indicates that her suffering was not merely a past event but a continuous and ongoing state with lingering effects up to that moment. This includes physical pain, social ostracization due to Levitical impurity, and emotional distress from her desperate condition.
• many things: Greek: polla (πολλά). This emphasizes the extensive nature of her affliction, implying a multitude of pains, disappointments, social exclusions, and financial burdens, not just one ailment.
• from many physicians: Greek: hupo pollōn iatrōn (ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἰατρῶν). The phrase highlights that she had sought treatment from numerous medical practitioners, reflecting a persistent and desperate search for a cure. In ancient times, physicians often employed ineffective, painful, or even detrimental remedies (e.g., specific diets, rituals, or harsh medications that included ingredients like animal dung or specific minerals), often without hygienic practices.
• and had spent: Greek: kai dapanēsasan (καὶ δαπανήσασαν). A participle indicating that the act of spending was complete and thorough.
• all that she had: Greek: ta par' autēs panta (τὰ παρ' αὐτῆς πάντα). This phrase conveys total financial depletion. She was rendered utterly destitute, indicating the great expense of ancient medical treatments and her willingness to sacrifice everything for a cure. This also hints at the hopelessness of her economic situation, leaving her with no other human options.
• and was made nothing better: Greek: kai mēden ōfelētheisa (καὶ μηδὲν ὠφεληθεῖσα). ōfelētheisa (ὠφεληθεῖσα) from opheléō (ὀφελέω) means to benefit, profit, or gain. The strong negative "nothing" (mēden) underscores the complete lack of improvement from any of the interventions. Her long and costly pursuit of healing was utterly fruitless.
• but rather: Greek: alla mallon (ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον). A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a severe contrast to the expected outcome. Instead of healing, the opposite occurred.
• grew worse: Greek: eis to cheiron elthousa (εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἐλθοῦσα). Literally "came into the worse." This phrase vividly paints a picture of progressive deterioration. Her physical condition, possibly exacerbated by ineffective treatments, continued its downward spiral. This highlights her profound hopelessness before meeting Jesus, where all human efforts had not only failed but actively worsened her plight.

• "had suffered many things from many physicians": This phrase encapsulates her physical torment, medical frustrations, and the cycle of false hope followed by deeper despair. It portrays her vulnerability and the medical limitations of the time.
• "had spent all that she had, and was made nothing better, but rather grew worse": This longer phrase is a tragic summary of her economic ruin and the utter failure of human solutions. It creates a vivid image of complete destitution and escalating suffering, emphasizing her dire circumstances and utter powerlessness apart from divine intervention. It underscores that human effort and resources often fall short when confronted with deeply rooted problems that only God can address.

Mark 5 26 Bonus section

The chronic hemorrhage made the woman a societal outcast according to Mosaic Law (Lev 15:25-30), meaning everything she touched, or anyone who touched her, also became ritually unclean. This not only added to her physical suffering and financial burden but also meant a life of forced isolation, making her touch of Jesus's garment an act of desperate faith that disregarded profound cultural and religious barriers. The cumulative twelve years (v.25) of her illness amplify the futility expressed in v.26; her sustained hope despite repeated failure signifies remarkable human tenacity. The failure of "many physicians" subtly highlights the difference between human, limited remedies and God's perfect, complete, and instantaneous healing.

Mark 5 26 Commentary

Mark 5:26 serves as a powerful backdrop for Jesus's miraculous healing. It deliberately and emphatically catalogues the woman's devastating plight: persistent physical agony, the failure of every human attempt to alleviate it (despite consulting numerous experts), complete financial ruin, and the compounding despair of seeing her condition worsen instead of improve. This meticulously detailed description amplifies the profound and unique power of Jesus Christ. Her situation represents ultimate human inability to resolve core problems without divine intervention. Her chronic uncleanness also socially isolated her, underscoring the depth of Jesus's compassion in drawing near to her. This setup ensures that her eventual healing is clearly attributable solely to Christ's divine power, not to any residual benefit from her past efforts or human assistance. It also foreshadows how true spiritual healing often follows the exhaustion of self-reliance, driving individuals to seek God alone.