Mark 1:24 Meaning and Explanation
“Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The spirit cries out that it knows who Jesus is, the Holy One of God, and asks whether he has come to destroy them.
What Does Mark 1:24 Mean?
The spirit speaks for its whole order, saying let us alone, and its questions tumble out in fear: what have we to do with thee? art thou come to destroy us? Strangely, the first voice in this Gospel to identify Jesus precisely is an unclean spirit: Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy One of God.
The unseen world recognizes Jesus while the congregation is still asking who he is. But recognition is not faith; the spirit knows him and only trembles (James 2:19). Its frightened question answers itself, for the Holy One has indeed come to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and evil has no future where he reigns. To know Christ truly is not merely to identify him but to belong to him.
Mark 1:24 in the Original Language
hagios (ἅγιος), 'Holy' -- set apart, belonging wholly to God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 1:24
What does Mark 1:24 mean?
The spirit cries out that it knows who Jesus is, the Holy One of God, and asks whether he has come to destroy them.