Mark 5:42 Meaning and Explanation
“And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The girl immediately gets up and walks -- she is twelve years old -- and the witnesses are overwhelmed with astonishment.
What Does Mark 5:42 Mean?
Life returns whole: the girl does not merely stir but stands and walks. Only now does Mark mention her age -- twelve years, the same number as the years of the woman's hemorrhage. The five witnesses are seized with "a great astonishment."
The two daughters of the chapter are deliberately entwined: one had been dying for twelve years, the other had lived twelve years and died, and in a single afternoon Christ restores them both. His work needs no convalescence -- she walks at once. And the raising stands as a foretaste: the hand that woke this child points forward to his own rising and to the waking of all who sleep (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).
Mark 5:42 in the Original Language
ekstasis (ἔκστασις), 'astonishment' -- amazement that carries one outside oneself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 5:42
What does Mark 5:42 mean?
The girl immediately gets up and walks -- she is twelve years old -- and the witnesses are overwhelmed with astonishment.