What Does Mark 5:26 Mean?
And she had suffered much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was helped not at all, but rather grew worse,
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,THE KEY
The word for “physicians” carries the sense of healers, yet the verse says she received no benefit at all.
THE MEANING
You can endure many treatments and spend everything available, yet still find no relief. The worsening is named plainly without being made proof of your failure.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that continued illness means you have not tried hard enough: she has endured much care and spent all she had, yet is still worse.
THE ROOT
ὠφεληθεῖσα
ōphelētheisa
GROWS FROM
ὠφελ-
to help, benefit, or be of use
“bettered” in this verse is ōphelētheisa. The Greek says she was given no benefit at all, followed by a worsening. The verse measures the outcome of the care, not her worth or effort.
ALSO GROWS
ōpheleō: to help, benefit
ὠφελέω
This is the verb behind “bettered,” making clear that the verse names a lack of benefit.
ōphelimos: useful, beneficial
ὠφέλιμος
Its shared root brings usefulness into view, sharpening the contrast between the care she receives and its result.
ōpheleia: benefit, advantage
ὠφέλεια
This noun names what she does not receive: any advantage from the treatments.
ἰατρῶν
iatrōn
GROWS FROM
ἰα-
to heal, cure
The Greek word for physician belongs to the healing word-family. Here that healing sense sits beside the painful result: many physicians, but no benefit and a worsening condition.
ALSO GROWS
iaomai: to heal, cure
ἰάομαι
The verb shares the healing sense carried in the word for “physicians.”
iasis: healing, cure
ἴασις
This related noun names the hoped-for outcome that the verse says she does not receive.
δαπανήσασα
dapanēsasa
GROWS FROM
δαπαν-
to spend or expend resources
The verb marks an expenditure, and the verse says she spent all that she had. Bodily suffering and material depletion are held together in the same account.
ALSO GROWS
dapanáō: to spend, expend
δαπανάω
This is the verb behind “spent,” showing that her resources are being used up.
dapanē: expense, cost
δαπάνη
This related noun makes the material cost in the verse visible, not incidental.
THE PATTERN
Scripture names the gap between seeking a remedy and receiving healing.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb; yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no healer there? Why then has new flesh not risen over the daughter of my people?And a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any,THE THREAD
But Jesus, hearing this, said to them, Those who are strong have no need of a healer, but those who fare badly.Matthew uses the same Greek word, ἰατρός (iatros), meaning “physician” or “healer.” That shared root sharpens the tension here: the word carries healing within it, while Mark records that this woman receives no benefit.
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