The Meaning of Mark 10:27 Explained

Mark 10:27

KJV: And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

YLT: And Jesus, having looked upon them, saith, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.'

Darby: But Jesus looking on them says, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.

ASV: Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  looking upon  them  saith,  With  men  [it is] impossible,  but  not  with  God:  for  with  God  all things  are  possible. 

What does Mark 10:27 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jesus" point was that salvation is totally God"s work (cf. Jonah 2:9; Ephesians 2:8-9). It is humanly impossible to obtain it on the basis of achievement or merit. But God can enable anyone to realize his or her complete dependence on Him and turn to Him for salvation.

Context Summary

Mark 10:23-52 - True Riches And Real Greatness
Wealth brings many temptations. It is not said that rich men cannot get through the gate, but they will have to stoop very low and be stripped of the love of wealth, though not necessarily of wealth itself. In Christ's kingdom to give all is to get all. The surrendered life needs no pity, for what it loses on the material side is more than compensated by its enormous spiritual gains, Mark 10:30-31. Perhaps the request of the two brethren was dictated rather by the desire to be near the Master than by ambition; but in any case there is only one price to be paid. We must know the fellowship of His sufferings, if we are to share His glory, 2 Timothy 2:11, etc. It is easy to say, "We are able;" but had they not experienced the day of Pentecost, these two aspirants had certainly failed, Philippians 4:13. If you are not called to suffer with Him, then serve. Service like Christ's will bring you near His throne, as will also a share in His suffering. With us as with Bartimaeus, obstacles and difficulties should not daunt, but rather incite to more eager prayers. Christ is ever saying to men-Courage! Only faith could make a blind man cast away his garment, but he knew that he would be able to find it again with the sight that Jesus would certainly bestow. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 10

1  Jesus disputes with the Pharisees concerning divorce;
13  blesses the children that are brought unto him;
17  resolves a rich man how he may inherit everlasting life;
23  tells his disciples of the danger of riches;
28  promises rewards to those who forsake all for the gospel;
32  foretells his death and resurrection;
35  bids the two ambitious suitors to think rather of suffering with him;
46  and restores to Bartimaeus his sight

Greek Commentary for Mark 10:27

Looking on them [εμβλεπσας αυτοις]
So in Matthew 19:26. Their amazement increased (Mark 10:26). [source]
But not with God [αλλ ου παρα τεωι]
Locative case with παρα — para (beside). The impossible by the side of men (παρα αντρωποις — para anthrōpois) becomes possible by the side of God. That is the whole point and brushes to one side all petty theories of a gate called needle‘s eye, etc. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 10:27

James 1:17 From the Father of lights [ουκ ενι]
“Of the lights” (the heavenly bodies). For this use of εν — patēr see Job 38:28 (Father of rain); 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:17. God is the Author of light and lights.With whom (ενεστι — par' hōi). For ενι εν — para (beside) with locative sense for standpoint of God see εινε — para tōi theōi (Mark 10:27; Romans 2:11; Romans 9:14; Ephesians 6:9.Can be no This old idiom (also in Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11) may be merely the original form of παραλλαγη — en with recessive accent (Winer, Mayor) or a shortened form of παραλλασσω — enesti The use of παραλλαχις — eni en in 1 Corinthians 6:5 argues for this view, as does the use of τροπης αποσκιασμα — eine Old word from Αποσκιασμα — parallassō to make things alternate, here only in N.T. In Aristeas in sense of alternate stones in pavements. Dio Cassius has αποσκιασμος — parallaxis without reference to the modern astronomical parallax, though James here is comparing God (Father of the lights) to the sun (Malachi 4:2), which does have periodic variations.Shadow that is cast by turning απο σκια — Tropē is an old word for “turning” (from αποσκιαζω — trepō to turn), here only in N.T. η τροπης αποσκιασματος — Aposkiasma is a late and rare word Ropes argues strongly for this reading, and rather convincingly. At any rate there is no such periodic variation in God like that we see in the heavenly bodies. [source]
James 1:17 With whom [ενεστι]
For ενι εν — para (beside) with locative sense for standpoint of God see εινε — para tōi theōi (Mark 10:27; Romans 2:11; Romans 9:14; Ephesians 6:9. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 10:27 mean?

Having looked on them - Jesus says With men [it is] impossible but not God all things for [are] possible -
Ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς λέγει Παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατον ἀλλ’ οὐ θεῷ πάντα γὰρ δυνατὰ τῷ

Ἐμβλέψας  Having  looked  on 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐμβλέπω  
Sense: to turn one’s eyes on.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ἀνθρώποις  men 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἀδύνατον  [it  is]  impossible 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀδύνατος  
Sense: without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled.
θεῷ  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
πάντα  all  things 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
δυνατὰ  [are]  possible 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: δυνατός  
Sense: able, powerful, mighty, strong.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.