Mark 5 33

Mark 5:33 kjv

But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

Mark 5:33 nkjv

But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

Mark 5:33 niv

Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

Mark 5:33 esv

But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.

Mark 5:33 nlt

Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done.

Mark 5 verses

Mark 5 33 Meaning

Mark 5:33 describes the moment after the woman with the hemorrhage was miraculously healed by touching Jesus’ cloak. She, fully aware of her profound healing, approached Jesus with deep reverence and humility. Overcome with holy awe and perhaps some apprehension regarding her previously unclean state and unauthorized touch, she prostrated herself before Him and revealed the entire story of her suffering, her attempts at healing, and her ultimate deliverance through Him. This act of public confession was a crucial step, affirming both the miracle and her faith.

Mark 5 33 Context

Mark chapter 5 details two intertwined miracle accounts: the healing of the woman with a flow of blood and the raising of Jairus's daughter from the dead. Mark 5:25-34 specifically describes the woman’s 12-year struggle with a debilitating and ritually defiling hemorrhage (Lev 15:25-30). This condition rendered her perpetually unclean, leading to social isolation, economic ruin due to medical expenses, and an inability to participate in public worship. Driven by desperate faith, she secretly touched the fringe of Jesus’ garment, believing this simple act would heal her (Mark 5:28). Instantly, the flow stopped. Jesus, sensing that power had gone out from Him, asked, “Who touched My garments?” (Mark 5:30). Despite His disciples’ perplexity, Jesus persisted, looking around. Verse 33, then, captures her response to this divine persistence. Her open confession to Jesus not only confirms her physical healing but also moves her from a state of anonymous suffering and ritual impurity into a publicly recognized, personal relationship with Jesus. This entire episode also subtly critiques contemporary beliefs: the emphasis shifts from ritual purity to faith and the compassion of Jesus, who is not defiled by touching an "unclean" person but instead makes the unclean whole. It also demonstrates the futility of human remedies without divine intervention.

Mark 5 33 Word analysis

• But (ἀλλά - alla): This conjunction introduces a contrasting idea. It marks a shift from Jesus searching for who touched Him to the woman’s personal, fearful response.

• the woman (ἡ γυνή - hē gynē): Refers to the anonymous individual identified in Mark 5:25, emphasizing her now prominent role in the narrative, no longer just a distant sufferer.

• knowing (εἰδυῖα - eidyia): From the verb oida (to know). This perfect active participle denotes complete and full knowledge. She didn't just suspect; she knew with certainty what had occurred—the miraculous cessation of her bleeding and the divine power that healed her. This was an undeniable internal experience.

• what had happened to her (τὸ γεγονὸς αὐτῇ - to gegonos autē): Lit. "the thing having come into being to her." This refers to the profound and immediate physical healing she experienced, a direct result of her faith and touching Jesus. It was a tangible, miraculous event.

• came (ἐλθοῦσα - elthousa): An aorist participle, conveying the action of her coming forward. This was a deliberate and physically demanding act given her fear and the crowd.

• in fear and trembling (φοβηθεῖσα καὶ ἔντρομος - phobētheisa kai entromos):

  • phobētheisa (from phobeō): Having feared.
  • entromos (from en + tromos): Shaking within, trembling.
  • This phrase is a strong biblical idiom denoting profound awe, reverence, and sometimes even dread in the presence of overwhelming power or holiness. It's not primarily a fear of punishment, but a holy reverence for God's manifest power and a realization of her own unworthiness/impurities in comparison. It signifies deep respect and humility, typical responses to a divine encounter.

• and fell down before Him (προσεπεσεν αὐτῷ - prosepesen autō): Lit. "she fell towards Him." This signifies prostration, an act of humble submission, reverence, and supplication. It's a posture of worship, recognizing His authority and divine power, especially in Middle Eastern cultures. It also conveys vulnerability and a plea for acceptance.

• and told Him the whole truth (εἶπεν αὐτῷ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν - eipen autō pasan tēn alētheian):

  • pasan tēn alētheian: Lit. "all the truth."
  • This implies a full, unreserved confession. She explained her long-term illness, her fruitless efforts with physicians, her desperate act of touching His garment, and the instantaneous healing. This public confession was critical. Jesus didn’t need the information; He prompted her to confess for her benefit, to solidify her healing beyond the physical, integrating her back into community and affirming her faith.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "knowing what had happened to her, came...": This highlights the intentionality of her coming forward. She wasn't dragged; she was compelled by the certainty of her healing and the divine presence. Her inner conviction preceded her outward action.
  • "in fear and trembling, and fell down before Him": This phrase describes her posture and state of being. It perfectly captures the mixed emotions of awe, reverence, humility, and perhaps some apprehension for her unclean state. This posture is characteristic of those who experience the raw power of God and serves as an act of worship and desperate appeal.
  • "told Him the whole truth": This is a climactic statement. It signifies not only transparency but also a complete and public confession of the miracle. It shows that Jesus was seeking not just to know who touched Him, but to bring the hidden miracle and her private faith into public light, transforming her status from a secret beneficiary to a publicly affirmed believer. It represents her moving from anonymity to direct, personal acknowledgment by Jesus.

Mark 5 33 Bonus section

• Jesus' Pedagogy: Jesus' question "Who touched me?" was not due to ignorance, but a deliberate act to draw the woman out of anonymity and enable her to make a public confession. This act was crucial for her spiritual and social well-being, elevating her from being an "unclean" outcast to a validated daughter of faith.
• Holistic Healing: The woman's healing wasn't just physical. By forcing her to confess publicly, Jesus addressed her social ostracization and her spiritual state. He completed her healing, making her truly "well" (Mark 5:34) in every sense: physical, social, and spiritual.
• Courage in Faith: Despite her fear of public exposure, humiliation, or potential rebuke (given her ritually unclean state touching a Rabbi), the certainty of her healing and Jesus' unwavering attention gave her the courage to step forward and speak honestly. This illustrates the power of God's drawing presence over human fear.

Mark 5 33 Commentary

Mark 5:33 vividly portrays the transformative encounter between divine power and human desperation, culminating in public affirmation. The woman's initial approach was an act of hidden faith, rooted in cultural isolation and shame due to her incurable condition. Yet, Jesus' discerning knowledge brought her out of the shadows. Her subsequent appearance, "in fear and trembling," signifies a deep reverence and awe—a fitting response to encountering the Holy One, who superseded the very laws that declared her unclean. Her prostration was not merely out of physical weakness, but a profound act of worship and submission to the one who had made her whole. Her confession of "the whole truth" was essential, not because Jesus needed the information, but because she needed to vocalize her experience. This public testimony validated her faith, brought her physical healing into spiritual wholeness, and reintegrated her from social ostracization into the light of Jesus' acceptance. It was a movement from hiddenness to revelation, from secret hope to public declaration, embodying how Jesus desires to transform our faith from a private act to a celebrated truth.