The Meaning of Mark 16:8 Explained

Mark 16:8

KJV: And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

YLT: And, having come forth quickly, they fled from the sepulchre, and trembling and amazement had seized them, and to no one said they anything, for they were afraid.

Darby: And they went out, and fled from the sepulchre. And trembling and excessive amazement possessed them, and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.

ASV: And they went out, and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them: and they said nothing to any one; for they were afraid.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  they went out  quickly,  and fled  from  the sepulchre;  for  they  trembled  and  were amazed:  neither  said they  any thing  to any  [man]; for  they were afraid. 

What does Mark 16:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The women were so upset by what had happened that when they left the tomb they told no one what they had seen-at first. However, it was not long before they were spreading the news that Jesus was alive again ( Matthew 28:8; Luke 24:9).
"The ending of Mark ... punctures any self-confident superiority the reader might feel, for the ending turns irony back upon the reader. Throughout the story when Jesus commanded people to be quiet they talked anyway. But at the end when the young man commands the women to go tell the message-the crucial message-in an ironic reversal they are silent. The fear of the women dominates the ending of the story. At this point fear forces the reader to face once again the fear in his or her own situation. No matter how much the reader "knows" or "sees," he or she still must make the hard choice in the end-whether to be silent like the women or to proclaim the good news in the face of persecution and possible death." [1]
"With his closing comment he [2] wished to say that "the gospel of Jesus the Messiah" (ch. Mark 1:1) is an event beyond human comprehension and therefore awesome and frightening. In this case, contrary to general opinion, "for they were afraid" is the phrase most appropriate to the conclusion of the Gospel. The abruptness with which Mark concluded his account corresponds to the preface of the Gospel where the evangelist begins by confronting the reader with the fact of revelation in the person of John and Jesus (Ch. Mark 1:1-13)." [3]

Context Summary

Mark 16:1-20 - The Power Of His Resurrection
In the dim light the women brave the dangers of an Eastern city and hasten to the grave. How often we seek Christ in the grave of old experiences or of dead and empty rites; and how often we cherish fears for which there is no occasion! In the grave where Christ had lain a young man was sitting, arrayed in a glistening robe; so out of death comes life. And one result of the Savior's resurrection has been that myriads of noble youths, clothed in garments of purity, have gone forth to shine like the dewdrops of the morning sparkling on the bosom of the earth. God's angels are always young. We who are the children of the Resurrection in the life of eternity will grow always younger, as here our bodies are ever growing older. The ministry of Galilee and Jerusalem is at an end, but the spirit of the Master goes forth to new victories in the Acts of the Apostles. Note the mighty power of faith, the signs that follow its manifestation in simplicity and purity; demons cannot resist it, serpents are rendered harmless, and healing streams flow from contact with it. Let us keep our eyes fixed on the risen Christ sitting at the right hand of God, and believe that he is ever working by our side and confirming our words, Hebrews 2:4 [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 16

1  An Angel declares the resurrection of Jesus to three women
9  Jesus himself appears to Mary Magdalene;
12  to two going into the country;
14  then to the apostles;
15  whom he sends forth to preach the gospel;
19  and ascends into heaven

Greek Commentary for Mark 16:8

Had come upon them [ειχεν αυτας]
Imperfect tense, more exactly, held them, was holding them fast. [source]
Trembling and astonishment [τρομος και εκστασις]
This excitement was too great for ordinary conversation. Matthew 28:8 notes that they “ran to bring his disciples word.” Hushed to silence their feet had wings as they flew on.For they were afraid Imperfect tense. The continued fear explains their continued silence. At this point Aleph and B, the two oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, stop with this verse. Three Armenian MSS. also end here. Some documents (cursive 274 and Old Latin k) have a shorter ending than the usual long one. The great mass of the documents have the long ending seen in the English versions. Some have both the long and the short endings, like L, Psi, 0112, 099, 579, two Bohairic MSS; the Harklean Syriac (long one in the text, short one in the Greek margin). One Armenian MS. (at Edschmiadzin) gives the long ending and attributes it to Ariston (possibly the Aristion of Papias). W (the Washington Codex) has an additional verse in the long ending. So the facts are very complicated, but argue strongly against the genuineness of Mark 16:9-20 of Mark 16. There is little in these verses not in Matthew 28. It is difficult to believe that Mark ended his Gospel with Mark 16:8 unless he was interrupted. A leaf or column may have been torn off at the end of the papyrus roll. The loss of the ending was treated in various ways. Some documents left it alone. Some added one ending, some another, some added both. A full discussion of the facts is found in the last chapter of my Studies in Mark‘s Gospel and also in my Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, pp. 214-16. [source]
They said nothing to any one [ουδενι ουδεν ειπαν]
This excitement was too great for ordinary conversation. Matthew 28:8 notes that they “ran to bring his disciples word.” Hushed to silence their feet had wings as they flew on. [source]
For they were afraid [εποβουντο γαρ]
Imperfect tense. The continued fear explains their continued silence. At this point Aleph and B, the two oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, stop with this verse. Three Armenian MSS. also end here. Some documents (cursive 274 and Old Latin k) have a shorter ending than the usual long one. The great mass of the documents have the long ending seen in the English versions. Some have both the long and the short endings, like L, Psi, 0112, 099, 579, two Bohairic MSS; the Harklean Syriac (long one in the text, short one in the Greek margin). One Armenian MS. (at Edschmiadzin) gives the long ending and attributes it to Ariston (possibly the Aristion of Papias). W (the Washington Codex) has an additional verse in the long ending. So the facts are very complicated, but argue strongly against the genuineness of Mark 16:9-20 of Mark 16. There is little in these verses not in Matthew 28. It is difficult to believe that Mark ended his Gospel with Mark 16:8 unless he was interrupted. A leaf or column may have been torn off at the end of the papyrus roll. The loss of the ending was treated in various ways. Some documents left it alone. Some added one ending, some another, some added both. A full discussion of the facts is found in the last chapter of my Studies in Mark‘s Gospel and also in my Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, pp. 214-16. [source]
Quickly []
Omitted by best texts. [source]
Afraid [ἐφοβοῦντο]
The wonder merges into fear. By a large number of the ablest modern critics the remainder of this chapter is held to be from some other hand than Mark's. It is omitted from the two oldest manuscripts. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Astonishment [ἔκστασις]
See on Mark 5:42. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 16:8

Mark 5:42 Astonishment [ἐκστάσει]
Better Rev., amazement, which carries the sense of bewilderment. Ἔκστασις , of which the English ecstasy is a transcript, is from ἐκ , out of, and ἵστημι ,to place or put. Its primitive sense, therefore, is that of removal; hence of a man removed out of his senses. In Biblical Greek it is used in a modified sense, as here, Mark 16:8; Luke 5:26; Acts 3:10, of amazement, often coupled withfear. In Acts 10:10; Acts 11:5; Acts 22:17, it is used in the sense of our word ecstasy, and is rendered trance. [source]
Mark 16:20 Following [ἐπακολουθούντων]
Following closely: force of ἐπί . Both this and the word for follow, in Mark 16:17, are foreign to Mark's diction, though he frequently uses the simple verb. A manuscript of the eighth or ninth century, known as L, has, at the close of Mark 16:8, these words: “In some instances there is added as follows.” Then we read: “But all the things enjoined they announced without delay to those who were around Peter (i.e., to Peter and those who were with him). And afterward Jesus himself, from the east unto the west, sent forth through them the sacred and incorruptible message of eternal salvation.”-DIVIDER-
The subject of the last twelve verses of this Gospel may be found critically discussed in the second volume of Westcott and Hort's Greek Testament; by Dean John W. Burgon in his monograph, “The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel according to St. Mark Vindicated against Recent Objectors and Established;” Frederick Henry Scrivener, LL.D., “Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament;” James Morison, D.D., “Practical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Mark;” Samuel Davidson, D.D., “Introduction to the Study of the New Testament;” Philip Schaff, D.D., “History of the Christian Church;” Canon F. C. Cook in “Speaker's Commentary on Mark;” Samuel P. Tregelles, LL.D., “On the Printed Text of the Greek Testament;” also in the commentaries of Alford and Meyer. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Mark 16:8 Trembling and astonishment [τρομος και εκστασις]
This excitement was too great for ordinary conversation. Matthew 28:8 notes that they “ran to bring his disciples word.” Hushed to silence their feet had wings as they flew on.For they were afraid Imperfect tense. The continued fear explains their continued silence. At this point Aleph and B, the two oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, stop with this verse. Three Armenian MSS. also end here. Some documents (cursive 274 and Old Latin k) have a shorter ending than the usual long one. The great mass of the documents have the long ending seen in the English versions. Some have both the long and the short endings, like L, Psi, 0112, 099, 579, two Bohairic MSS; the Harklean Syriac (long one in the text, short one in the Greek margin). One Armenian MS. (at Edschmiadzin) gives the long ending and attributes it to Ariston (possibly the Aristion of Papias). W (the Washington Codex) has an additional verse in the long ending. So the facts are very complicated, but argue strongly against the genuineness of Mark 16:9-20 of Mark 16. There is little in these verses not in Matthew 28. It is difficult to believe that Mark ended his Gospel with Mark 16:8 unless he was interrupted. A leaf or column may have been torn off at the end of the papyrus roll. The loss of the ending was treated in various ways. Some documents left it alone. Some added one ending, some another, some added both. A full discussion of the facts is found in the last chapter of my Studies in Mark‘s Gospel and also in my Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, pp. 214-16. [source]
Mark 16:8 For they were afraid [εποβουντο γαρ]
Imperfect tense. The continued fear explains their continued silence. At this point Aleph and B, the two oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, stop with this verse. Three Armenian MSS. also end here. Some documents (cursive 274 and Old Latin k) have a shorter ending than the usual long one. The great mass of the documents have the long ending seen in the English versions. Some have both the long and the short endings, like L, Psi, 0112, 099, 579, two Bohairic MSS; the Harklean Syriac (long one in the text, short one in the Greek margin). One Armenian MS. (at Edschmiadzin) gives the long ending and attributes it to Ariston (possibly the Aristion of Papias). W (the Washington Codex) has an additional verse in the long ending. So the facts are very complicated, but argue strongly against the genuineness of Mark 16:9-20 of Mark 16. There is little in these verses not in Matthew 28. It is difficult to believe that Mark ended his Gospel with Mark 16:8 unless he was interrupted. A leaf or column may have been torn off at the end of the papyrus roll. The loss of the ending was treated in various ways. Some documents left it alone. Some added one ending, some another, some added both. A full discussion of the facts is found in the last chapter of my Studies in Mark‘s Gospel and also in my Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, pp. 214-16. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 16:8 mean?

And having gone out they fled from the tomb Had seized for them trembling amazement to none nothing they spoke they were afraid for
Καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου εἶχεν γὰρ αὐτὰς τρόμος ἔκστασις οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπαν ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ

ἐξελθοῦσαι  having  gone  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
ἔφυγον  they  fled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: φεύγω  
Sense: to flee away, seek safety by flight.
μνημείου  tomb 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: μνημεῖον  
Sense: any visible object for preserving or recalling the memory of any person or thing.
εἶχεν  Had  seized 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
τρόμος  trembling 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τρόμος  
Sense: a trembling or quaking with fear.
ἔκστασις  amazement 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἔκστασις  
Sense: any casting down of a thing from its proper place or state, displacement.
οὐδενὶ  to  none 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
οὐδὲν  nothing 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
εἶπαν  they  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
ἐφοβοῦντο  they  were  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).