Bible Strands
Mark 15:35
When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Bystanders near the cross hear Jesus’ Aramaic cry and report that He is calling for Elijah.
The words — The Greek ἴδε (ide) translates literally to "behold," and Ἠλίαν (Ēlian) is the accusative form of "Elijah," marking the precise moment the crowd misidentifies the divine utterance.
The thread — This mishearing is recorded identically in Matthew 27:47, while the surrounding expectation of Elijah appears in Matthew 17:11 and Mark 9:11.
Why it lands — The text first records a literal auditory confusion before implying a theological tension, requiring the reader to acknowledge how human expectation routinely misreads divine action.
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
And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
Cross-references
- Matthew 27:47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”
- Matthew 17:11 Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things.
- Mark 9:11 And they asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”