Bible Strands
Mark 14:2
“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The chief priests and scribes speak among themselves two days before the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. They are weighing how to arrest Jesus while avoiding public unrest during the festival.
The words — The phrase μὴποτε ἔσται (mēpote estai) literally translates to “otherwise there will be.” The conjunction γὰρ (gar) grounds their hesitation in the practical fear of a riot.
The thread — The conflict between human strategy and divine purpose runs through Proverbs 19:21 and Proverbs 21:30. The immediate narrative context shifts to Mark 14:3, where Jesus is anointed while the leaders continue their covert plot.
Why it lands — The text reports the religious leaders' calculated delay to prevent a riot before they move against Jesus. A reader must observe how human planning operates within, but does not control, the unfolding events.
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
King James Version
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Lamentations 3:27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.
- Matthew 26:5 “But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
- Mark 11:18 When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
- Mark 11:32 But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.
- Luke 20:6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
- John 7:40 On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”
- John 12:19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”