Mark 5:41 Meaning and Explanation
“And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Taking the girl by the hand, Jesus says in Aramaic, "Talitha cumi" -- little girl, arise.
What Does Mark 5:41 Mean?
Jesus takes the dead child by the hand -- a touch the law counted defiling (Numbers 19:11) -- and speaks two words of Aramaic, the household tongue of Galilee. Mark preserves the very syllables, then translates: "Damsel, I say unto thee, arise."
It is the gentlest sentence ever spoken to death -- the words a parent might use to wake a child for the morning. No incantation, no struggle: the same authority that commanded a legion now whispers a girl awake. And as with the bleeding woman, the touch runs in one direction only; death does not defile him -- life flows out of him. He still takes his people by the hand.
Mark 5:41 in the Original Language
talitha cumi (טַלְיְתָא קוּמִי), 'damsel, arise' -- Aramaic for 'little girl, get up', preserved in Jesus' own spoken words.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 5:41
What does Mark 5:41 mean?
Taking the girl by the hand, Jesus says in Aramaic, "Talitha cumi" -- little girl, arise.