What Does Mark 5:42 Mean?

And at once the little girl rose and walked, for she was twelve years old. And they were beside themselves beyond measure.

Mark 5:42 · SDV

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.

This verse in the King James

King James wording

King James Version

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

THE KEY

The Greek ties her rising and their astonishment to one root: she stands up, and the witnesses are taken outside themselves.

THE MEANING

Here, restoration takes bodily form: a twelve-year-old girl stands and walks at once. The change is visible, and those around her are overwhelmed by what they see.

THE ROOT

ἀνέστη

anéstē

GROWS FROM

⁨ἵστημι⁩ (histēmi), stem ⁨στη-⁩/⁨στα-⁩ (stē-/sta-)

Stand, or set in place.

“arose / astonished / astonishment” in this verse is anéstē. The Greek verb for arose and the words translated astonished and astonishment all build on the root for standing. She stands up; the witnesses are, in the word’s image, stood outside themselves in amazement.

ALSO GROWS

anistēmi: Stand up, rise.

ἀνίστημι

This is the verb behind arose: the girl moves from lying down to standing.

existēmi: Stand outside oneself; be amazed.

ἐξίστημι

This verb describes the witnesses’ astonishment, linking their response to her rising through the shared root.

ekstasis: Astonishment; a standing outside.

ἔκστασις

The noun translated astonishment repeats the same root, intensifying the witnesses’ response.

περιεπάτει

periepátei

GROWS FROM

πατέω

pateō

Tread, step.

“walked” in this verse is periepátei. The Greek word for walking grows from the language of stepping or treading. Her rising immediately becomes visible movement through the world around her.

ALSO GROWS

pateō: Tread, step.

πατέω

This is the physical action at the heart of the walking word.

peripateō: Walk, walk about.

περιπατέω

This is the verb used for her movement after she rises.

katapateō: Tread down, trample.

καταπατέω

This related form preserves the concrete sense of feet stepping on the ground.

THE PATTERN

Restored life becomes visible as a body standing, walking, or acting again.

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, a very great army.

Ezekiel 37:10 · SDVLife becomes visible when the bodies stand on their feet.

And leaping up, he stood and walked, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Acts 3:8 · SDVThe man’s restored movement expands from standing and walking into leaping.

Jesus said to him, Rise, lift up your mat, and walk.

John 5:8 · SDVThe command pairs rising with walking as visible signs of restored bodily movement.

THE THREAD

But Peter cast them all outside, and set his knees down, and prayed. And turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, stand up. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

Acts 9:40 · SDV

The command translated arise is ⁨ἀνάστηθι⁩ (anastēthi), stand up, from the same ⁨ἵστημι⁩ (histēmi), stand, root carried by arose here. In both scenes, restored life becomes visible as a body returning to an upright position.

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