Mark 5:40

And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus acts after the crowd reacts to His declaration that the girl is only asleep. The text records Him removing everyone, taking the parents and companions inside, and entering to see the child.

The words — κατεγέλων (kategelōn) literally means they were laughing at Him, and ἐκβαλὼν (ekbalōn) denotes having put out all the mourners. παραλαμβάνει (paralambanei) records His deliberate act of taking the parents and companions inside.

The thread — The text mirrors the isolated, door-closed prayer of 2 Kings 4:33 and aligns with the public mockery described in Nehemiah 2:19. The pattern of removing observers before divine action recurs in both prophetic and gospel narratives.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that Jesus removes doubt and spectacle before acting. The reader must accept that restoration follows deliberate, private obedience rather than public demand.

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 they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

Cross-references

Nehemiah 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
Genesis 19:14 So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
2 Kings 4:33 So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
Job 12:4 I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
Psalms 22:7 All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads:
Psalms 123:3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt.
Matthew 7:6 Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 9:24 “Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.
Luke 8:53 And they laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead.
Luke 16:14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.