What Does Mark 1:40 Mean in the King James?
And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The speaker trusts that cleansing is possible, yet wonders whether Jesus is willing to meet his need.
THE MEANING
You can believe that wholeness is possible and still wonder whether it is within reach for you. The speaker names that split plainly: he trusts Jesus can make him clean, but asks whether Jesus is willing. He brings his condition and his desire for cleansing into the open.
THE ROOT
καθαρίσαι
katharisai
GROWS FROM
καθαρ-
kathar-
clean, pure
The Greek word family joins making clean with the state of being clean. Cleansing is a removal that leaves the person clean, not an added quality.
ALSO GROWS
katharizō: to cleanse, make clean
καθαρίζω
This is the verb behind the request: the desired change is cleansing itself.
katharos: clean, pure
καθαρός
This names the state that follows the action in the same word family.
katharismos: cleansing, purification
καθαρισμός
The family names the process as well as the resulting state.
θέλῃς
thelēs
GROWS FROM
θελ-
thel-
to want, wish, or will
“wilt” in this verse is thelēs. The question concerns willingness, not ability: the speaker already says cleansing can happen. The Greek word carries the sense of wanting or desiring, so the uncertainty is whether this cleansing is wanted for him.
ALSO GROWS
thelō: to want, wish, or will
θέλω
The verb names the willingness the speaker is unsure of.
thelēma: will, desire
θέλημα
This related noun shows that the question turns on desire or intention, not power.
THE PATTERN
Across scripture, cleansing removes uncleanness and leaves the person clean.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.THE THREAD
And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.The next verse answers the uncertainty this request leaves open: willingness meets ability in the words, “I will.” “Be thou clean” uses the same word family for cleansing, turning the request into an enacted removal.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us