Mark 10:26

They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The disciples speak to one another after Jesus declares that a wealthy person entering the kingdom is as unlikely as a camel passing through a needle’s eye. Their question arises from collective astonishment at the impossibility of human self-salvation.

The words — περισσῶς (perissōs) conveys an excess or exceeding degree, modifying ἐξεπλήσσοντο (exeplēssonto), which means they were struck with astonishment. The literal sense captures a reaction of profound shock at the preceding statement.

The thread — This theme of human impossibility and divine capability echoes in Acts 16:31 and Romans 10:9, where salvation is tied to faith and confession rather than human merit. The disciples’ question anticipates the resolution in Mark 10:27 that God alone accomplishes what humans cannot.

Why it lands — The verse forces a reader to confront the limits of personal righteousness and the necessity of divine intervention. It demands reliance on God’s power rather than self-sufficient effort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

οἱhoi<the>δὲdeAnd περισσῶςperissōsexceedingly ἐξεπλήσσοντοexeplēssontothey were astonished λέγοντεςlegontessaying πρὸςprosamong ἑαυτούς·he'autousthemselves;καὶkaiThen τίςtiswho δύναταιdunataiis able σωθῆναι;sōthēnaito be saved?

King James Version

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

Cross-references

Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
Mark 6:51 Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,
Mark 7:37 The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
Luke 13:23 “Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
Luke 18:26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”