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Name of God’s Son

Quotes in Mark

Mark quotes from the Old Testament 13 times. Of those 1 better match the Septuagint, 1 better match the Masoretic Text, and 11 match all sources.

Mark 1:2-3 quoting Isaiah 40:3-4

Mark 1:2-3

‘Look!
I’m sending My messenger ahead
To prepare the road that’s before you.

‘Listen!
Someone calls out in the desert,
Prepare the way for the Lord;
Straighten out all of his roads!’

Isaiah 40:3-4

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

Then I heard a voice that was calling from the desert. It said:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord…
Straighten the roads for our God!
Fill the valleys and flatten the mountains and hills…
All crooked paths must be straightened
And all the rough [ground] must be smoothed!’

✅ Matches as a paraphrase.

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘Hark! one calleth:

‘Clear ye in the wilderness the way of the LORD [YHWH],
Make plain in the desert
A highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill shall be made low;
And the rugged shall be made level,
And the rough places a plain;’

✅ Matches as a paraphrase.

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘The voice of one who calls out, ‘Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! And make a level highway in the desert for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah A

‘…Yahweh… Make a level… valley shall be exalted…’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah B

‘…a level highway… for our God. Every valley…’ — Scroll 4Q56 Isaiah B

✅ Matches as a paraphrase.

Our comments:

The quote matches all sources as a paraphrase.

Mark 7:6-7 quoting Isaiah 29:13 (LXX)

Mark 7:6-7

‘With their mouths, these people approach Me,
And with their lips, they offer Me praise.
But because they’re far from Me in their hearts,
They bow before Me in vain,
Since they teach the ideas and instructions of men!’

Isaiah 29:13

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘With their mouths, these people approach Me,
And with their lips, they offer Me praise…
But they’re far away from Me in their hearts.
So they’re wasting their time when they bow before Me,
Since they’re teaching the ideas and instructions of men!’

✅ Matches as a paraphrase

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘Forasmuch as this people draw near,
And with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me,
But have removed their heart far from Me,
And their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by rote;’

❌ Differs

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘Because this people draws near with their mouth and I am honored with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is like a commandment of men which has been taught.’’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah A

❌ Differs

Our comments:

The quote is a paraphrase, but it most closely matches the Septuagint because of the reference to bowing or worshipping, whereas the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls just talk about honoring with their lips, meaning verbally praising God.

Mark 9:48 quoting Isaiah 66:24

Mark 9:48

‘Where the worms won’t come to an end,
And the fire is never extinguished.’

Isaiah 66:24

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘Whose worms won’t come to an end,
And whose fire will not be extinguished…’

✅ Matches

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched;

✅ Matches

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘…for their worm will not die, nor be quenched…’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah A

❓ Unknown

‘…the men…’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah B

❓ Unknown

‘… nor… their fire…’ — Scroll 4Q57 Isaiah C

❓ Unknown

Our comments:

Matches all sources that are long enough.

Mark 11:9 quoting Psalm 118:26

Mark 11:9

‘Praise the one who comes in the Name of [Jehovah]!’

Psalm 118:26

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

And blest is this one who comes in God’s Name [or possibly, ‘in the Name of [Jehovah]‘]…
In the House of \[Jehovah\], we’ll praise him!

✅ Matches

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD [YHWH].’

✅ Matches

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name!’ — Scroll 4Q84 Psalms B

✅ Matches

‘Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name!’ — Scroll 11Q5 Psalms A

✅ Matches

Our comments:

The quote matches all sources.

Mark 10:7-8 quoting Genesis 2:24

Mark 10:7-8

‘This is why a man will leave his father and mother… And the two will become one flesh.’

Genesis 2:24

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘Because of this, a man will leave his father and mother
And bond with his woman,
And the two will become one flesh.’

✅ Matches

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.’

✅ Matches

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

(None of the surviving Dead Sea Scrolls contain this verse.)

Our comments:

Both sources match, slightly paraphrasing, and skipping the middle part for brevity.

Mark 11:17 quoting Isaiah 56:7

Mark 11:17

‘My house will be called a House of Prayer for all nations.’

Isaiah 56:7

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘For, at that time, My house [meaning, Temple] will be called,
‘A House of Prayer for all Nations.’’

✅ Matches

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.’

✅ Matches

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah A

✅ Matches

‘for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.’ — Scroll 1Q Isaiah B

✅ Matches

‘for my house… a house…’ — Scroll 4Q62a Isaiah I

❓ Unknown

Our comments:

The quote matches all sources.

Mark 12:11 quoting Psalm 118:22-23

Mark 12:11

‘The stone that the builders rejected
Has become the foundation cornerstone…
It’s by [Jehovah] that this came to pass,
And it’s a wonderful thing in our eyes?’

Psalm 118:22-23

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

So, the stone that the builders rejected
Has become the foundation cornerstone…
It’s by [Jehovah] that this came to pass,
And in our eyes, it’s a beautiful thing.

✅ Match

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Is become the chief corner-stone.
This is the LORD'S doing;
It is marvellous in our eyes.’

✅ Match

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘…This is Yahweh’s doing…’ — Scroll 4Q84 Psalms B

✅ Match

Our comments:

All sources match.

Mark 12:26 quoting Exodus 3:6

Mark 12:26

‘I am the God of AbraHam, the God of IsaAc, and the God of Jacob.’

Exodus 3:6

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘I am the God of your ancestors… The God of AbraHam, the God of IsaAc, and the God of Jacob.’

✅ Match

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

✅ Match

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

(None of the surviving Dead Sea Scrolls contain this verse.)

Our comments:

Both sources match, it’s just that ‘the God of your ancestors’ or ‘the God of thy father’ part is skipped for brevity.

Mark 12:29-30 quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Mark 12:29-30

‘Hear, O IsraEl: [Jehovah] your God is your only Lord.

So, you must love your God [Jehovah] with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.’

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘Listen, O IsraEl!

‘[Yahweh] your God is the only Lord, and you must love [Jehovah] The God with your whole heart, with your whole life [literally: soul], and with your whole strength.’

✅ Matches with some explanation

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD [YHWH] OUR GOD, THE LORD [YHWH] IS ONE.

‘And thou shalt love the LORD [YHWH]thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.’

✅ Matches with some explanation

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘…our God. Yahweh is one… Yahweh…’ – Scroll 4Q43

❓ Unknown

Our comments:

The quote may appear to not match up, because Mark quotes Jesus as listing four items:

  • heart
  • soul
  • mind
  • strength

Whereas, Deuteronomy 6:5 only lists three items:

  • heart
  • soul
  • strength

However, it’s likely simply a matter of translation.

Remember, the original quote of Deuteronomy is in Hebrew… And the Hebrew word for ‘strength’ (which literally means very or exceedingly) likely had a broader meaning that encompassed thinking, as it’s not just about physical strength, but also about will or willpower.

With that in mind, remember that Jesus was probably speaking in Aramaic. If the Aramaic word for strength has a much narrower meaning, then Jesus likely (correctly) translated the single Hebrew word into two Aramaic words in order to convey the full, broader meaning of the Hebrew word.

So while we can’t know for sure, it’s likely that Jesus quoted the verse perfectly, but just translated it into Aramaic using additional words. The Greek translators of Jesus’ words in Mark and the translators of the Greek Septuagint ~300 years earlier just made different choices.

Therefore, the quote in Mark is entirely correct, and gives is precious insight into the full range of meaning of these ancient words.

Mark 12:31 quoting Leviticus 19:18

Mark 12:31

‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’

Leviticus 19:18

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘You must love your neighbors as you [love] yourselves.’

✅ Match

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’

✅ Match

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

(None of the surviving Dead Sea Scrolls contain this verse.)

Our comments:

All quotes match.

Mark 12:36 quoting Psalm 110:1

Mark 12:36

‘[Jehovah] said to my Lord:

‘Sit here at my right hand
‘Til I put your enemies under your feet.’’

Psalm 110:1

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘[Jehovah] said this to my lord:

‘Sit here at My right hand
‘Til I set your enemies as a stool for your feet.’’

✅ Match

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘The LORD [YHWH] saith unto my Lord:

‘Sit thou at My right hand,
Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.’’

✅ Match

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

(None of the surviving Dead Sea Scrolls contain this verse.)

Our comments:

All quotes match.

Mark 13:24 quoting Joel 2:31

Mark 13:24

‘The sun will grow dark and the moon won’t shine.’

Joel 2:31

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘For the sun will then become dark,
And the moon [will be changed] into blood.’

✅ Matches as a paraphrase

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood.’

✅ Matches as a paraphrase

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

‘…into darkness, and the moon…’ — Scroll: Wadi Murabba'at Minor Prophets

❓ Unknown

Our comments:

All sources match, but it’s it’s debatably whether this really is a quote or not. It’s likely that Jesus was either paraphrasing the verse or just taking inspiration from it, as instead of the moon ‘going dark’, he says ‘the moon will be changed into blood’.

So is this really a quote? We’re not sure.

Mark 14:27 quoting Zechariah 13:7 (MT)

Mark 14:27

‘I will strike down the shepherd,
And all the sheep will be scattered.’

Zechariah 13:7

Greek Septuagint (our translation):

‘Strike the shepherds, and the sheep scatter…’

❌ Differs

Hebrew Masoretic Text (JPS):

‘Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered’

✅ Match

Dead Sea Scrolls (WEB):

(None of the surviving Dead Sea Scrolls contain this verse.)

Our comments:

This only matches with the Masoretic Text, because it’s in singular form (’the shepherd’), whereas the Septuagint is in the plural form (’the shepherds’).

The reason they differ is either because the Greek Septuagint translator understood the ‘shepherd’ as a category of people rather than an individual person, or he was translating an older version of the Hebrew text that was worded differently. We don’t know, but the former is the simplest explanation.

Note that the words in Zechariah 13:7 are likely not a Messianic prophecy, because in context it’s talking about a wicked and unfaithful shepherd whom Yahweh will punish.

Indeed, we list this as ‘disputed’ in our catalog of Messianic Prophecies. Jesus probably quoted the verse because it reflects a general principle that followers tend to scatter when their leader is gone; he was likely not applying a passage about a wicked shepherd to himself!

Quotes Index

Or return to the introduction to this series.