Bible Strands
Mark 6:33
But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Mark records Jesus and His disciples departing in a boat toward a solitary place, but passing crowds spot them. The narrative captures the moment just before Jesus disembarks and encounters the assembled multitude.
The words — The Greek ὄχλοι (ochloi) denotes the gathered crowds, while ἐπέγνωσαν (epegnōsan) indicates their specific recognition of the departing figures. These terms emphasize the deliberate identification of Jesus and His companions as they travel.
The thread — This pattern of crowds anticipating and overtaking Jesus appears in John 6:2, where signs draw followers, and Matthew 15:29, where movement along the Sea of Galilee precedes a mountain gathering. Mark 6:54 later repeats the recognition motif upon disembarkation.
Why it lands — The text states that planned isolation is repeatedly interrupted by public expectation and physical pursuit. It requires readers to acknowledge the friction between private retreat and public demand without smoothing over the conflict.
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 the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
Cross-references
- John 6:2 A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
- Matthew 15:29 Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on a mountain and sat down.
- Mark 6:54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus
- James 1:19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,