Mark 5:42

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} straightway {G2112} the damsel {G2877} arose {G450}, and {G2532} walked {G4043}; for {G1063} she was {G2258} of the age of twelve {G1427} years {G2094}. And {G2532} they were astonished {G1839} with a great {G3173} astonishment {G1611}.

Complete Jewish Bible

At once the girl got up and began walking around; she was twelve years old. Everybody was utterly amazed.

Berean Standard Bible

Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around. She was twelve years old, and at once they were utterly astounded.

American Standard Version

And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Mark 5:42 vividly describes the immediate and undeniable resurrection of Jairus's twelve-year-old daughter by Jesus, an event that profoundly astonished all who witnessed it. This verse serves as the climactic confirmation of Jesus's absolute authority over death, demonstrating His divine power to restore life instantaneously and completely, leaving onlookers in a state of overwhelming wonder and awe.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the triumphant culmination of a deeply moving narrative arc within the Gospel of Mark. The story begins with Jairus, a synagogue official, desperately pleading with Jesus to heal his dying daughter ([Mark 5:22-23](/mark/5-22-23 "Jairus's Plea")). On their way, Jesus is interrupted by the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, a significant interlude that highlights faith and Jesus's compassionate power ([Mark 5:25-34](/mark/5-25-34 "Healing of the Woman with the Issue of Blood")). During this delay, news arrives that Jairus's daughter has died, seemingly rendering Jesus's journey futile. However, Jesus immediately counters this despair with a powerful call to faith: "Do not be afraid, only believe" ([Mark 5:36](/mark/5-36 "Jesus's Encouragement to Jairus")). Upon arriving at the house, Jesus dismisses the professional mourners, declaring the girl is only "sleeping" ([Mark 5:39](/mark/5-39 "Jesus Declares the Girl is Sleeping")), a euphemism for death that emphasizes His power to awaken her. He then enters with only Peter, James, and John, and the girl's parents, speaking the Aramaic words, "Talitha cumi," meaning "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" ([Mark 5:41](/mark/5-41 "Jesus Raises Jairus's Daughter")). Mark 5:42 is the immediate, miraculous outcome of that divine command, showcasing Jesus's authority and the tangible reality of His life-giving power.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In first-century Jewish society, death was met with immediate and elaborate mourning rituals. Professional mourners, often women, would be hired to wail and lament loudly, creating a public display of grief. The presence of these mourners in Jairus's house ([Mark 5:38](/mark/5-38 "Mourners at Jairus's House")) indicates that the girl's death was confirmed and the grieving process had already begun. The age of twelve years for a girl was significant; it marked the threshold of adolescence and, for boys, the age of accountability (bar mitzvah), though a formal bat mitzvah tradition was not yet established for girls in the same way. Nevertheless, it represented a transition from childhood to young womanhood, making her death at this age particularly poignant and her resurrection a restoration of a life on the cusp of maturity. The public nature of the miracle, though witnessed by a select few in the room, would have quickly become known, challenging the prevailing understanding of death and the limits of human power.
* **Key Themes:** Mark 5:42 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the Gospel of Mark. Foremost is the theme of **Jesus's Divine Authority and Power**, particularly over death itself. This miracle, alongside the healing of the woman with the issue of blood and the calming of the storm ([Mark 4:35-41](/mark/4-35-41 "Jesus Calms the Storm")), demonstrates Jesus's sovereignty over sickness, nature, and the ultimate enemy, death. It underscores His identity as the Son of God, possessing unique, life-giving power. Another key theme is **Faith in the Face of Despair**. Jairus's initial plea and Jesus's subsequent command to "only believe" ([Mark 5:36](/mark/5-36 "Jesus's Encouragement to Jairus")) highlight the importance of persistent faith even when circumstances seem hopeless. The girl's immediate rising and walking also emphasize the **Instantaneous and Complete Nature of Jesus's Miracles**, leaving no doubt about the divine intervention. Finally, the "great astonishment" of the witnesses points to the **Overwhelming Impact of Encountering God's Power**, a common reaction throughout Mark's Gospel when people witness Jesus's extraordinary deeds.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **straightway (Greek, _euthéōs'_):** This adverb, frequently used by Mark, signifies immediacy, urgency, and directness. Its presence here emphasizes that the girl's resurrection was not a gradual recovery but an instantaneous and complete restoration of life, directly consequent to Jesus's command. It underscores the absolute power and efficacy of Jesus's word.
* **arose (Greek, _anístēmi'_):** This verb means "to stand up" or "to raise up." In this context, it denotes a literal rising from death, a powerful act of reanimation. The active voice implies an immediate, self-initiated action by the girl as life flooded back into her, demonstrating the completeness of the miracle.
* **astonishment (Greek, _ékstasis'_):** Derived from a word meaning "to stand out" or "displacement," _ékstasis_ refers to a profound state of overwhelming wonder, awe, or bewilderment. It signifies being "taken out of oneself" by the magnitude of an event. The addition of "great" (_mégas_) intensifies this, indicating an experience that transcended normal human comprehension and left them utterly spellbound by the divine power they had witnessed.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And straightway the damsel arose, and walked":** This clause describes the immediate and undeniable physical manifestation of the miracle. The girl, who moments before was lifeless, not only sits up but also begins to walk, demonstrating a full and complete restoration of vitality and health. The "straightway" emphasizes the instantaneous nature of Jesus's power, leaving no room for doubt or gradual recovery. Her walking signifies a return to normal, active life, not merely a temporary reanimation.
* **"for she was [of the age] of twelve years.":** This parenthetical detail provides crucial information. The age of twelve years is significant, paralleling the twelve years of suffering of the woman with the issue of blood ([Mark 5:25](/mark/5-25 "The Woman with the Issue of Blood")). It highlights that a young life, on the cusp of womanhood, was tragically cut short and then miraculously restored. This detail underscores the poignancy of the situation and the magnitude of Jesus's life-giving intervention.
* **"And they were astonished with a great astonishment.":** This concluding phrase captures the profound reaction of those present—Jairus, his wife, Peter, James, and John. Their "great astonishment" (a Greek idiom emphasizing the intensity of the emotion) signifies an overwhelming sense of awe, wonder, and perhaps even bewilderment at witnessing such an extraordinary, supernatural event. It was a moment that transcended their understanding, leaving them speechless and deeply impacted by the undeniable display of divine power.

#### Literary Devices
Mark 5:42 employs several powerful **Literary Devices**. The most prominent is **Markan Immediacy**, conveyed through the adverb "straightway" (_euthéōs_). This characteristic feature of Mark's Gospel emphasizes the swift, dynamic, and authoritative nature of Jesus's actions, highlighting His divine power and the direct consequence of His commands. The phrase "astonished with a great astonishment" is a powerful example of a **Cognate Accusative** or **Pleonasm** (using a noun and verb from the same root for emphasis), which serves to intensify the reaction of the witnesses. It is not merely "astonishment," but a profound, overwhelming "great astonishment" (_ékstasis megalē_), conveying a state of being utterly "taken out of themselves" by the magnitude of the miracle. This serves as a form of **Hyperbole**, underscoring the extraordinary nature of the event and the undeniable impact it had on those who saw it. The detail of the girl being "of the age of twelve years" creates a subtle **Parallelism** with the woman who had suffered for twelve years, possibly hinting at a thematic connection regarding the completion of a cycle of suffering or death through Jesus's intervention.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Mark 5:42 stands as a profound theological statement about Jesus's identity and power. It unequivocally demonstrates His sovereignty over death, a power reserved for God alone. This miracle is not merely a resuscitation but a divine act of resurrection, foreshadowing Jesus's own victory over the grave and affirming His unique status as the Lord of life. It reveals that Jesus's authority extends even to the most final of human experiences, offering a powerful message of hope that no situation is beyond His reach. The immediate and complete restoration of the girl's life underscores the perfection and efficacy of God's redemptive work.

* [John 11:25-26](/john/11-25-26 "Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life")
* [Romans 6:4](/romans/6-4 "New Life in Christ")
* [1 Corinthians 15:26](/1_corinthians/15-26 "Death, the Last Enemy")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The resurrection of Jairus's daughter in Mark 5:42 offers profound encouragement and challenges for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder that Jesus is sovereign over every aspect of life, including death itself. In moments of despair, illness, or loss, this narrative calls us to cling to the truth that Jesus's power transcends all human limitations and even the finality of the grave. Just as Jairus was told to "only believe" despite the news of his daughter's death, we are invited to cultivate a faith that trusts in God's ability to bring life out of death, hope out of hopelessness, and restoration out of brokenness. This miracle also highlights the transformative power of Jesus's word; His command "Talitha cumi" was not a mere suggestion but a life-giving decree. This encourages us to recognize the inherent power and authority in God's Word in our own lives, trusting that what He speaks, He brings to pass. Finally, the astonishment of the witnesses invites us to cultivate a similar sense of awe and wonder at God's work in the world and in our personal journeys, prompting us to acknowledge and testify to His miraculous presence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the instantaneous nature of the girl's resurrection challenge your understanding of God's power in seemingly impossible situations?**
* **In what areas of your life do you need to hear Jesus's command to "only believe" and trust in His life-giving authority?**
* **What does the "great astonishment" of the witnesses teach us about our own appropriate response to God's miraculous work?**

### FAQ

**Why is the detail of the girl being "of the age of twelve years" significant?**

Answer: The detail that the girl was "of the age of twelve years" holds significant symbolic and thematic weight. It immediately draws a parallel to the woman with the issue of blood, who had suffered for "twelve years" ([Mark 5:25](/mark/5-25 "The Woman with the Issue of Blood")). This parallelism suggests a thematic connection, possibly symbolizing a complete cycle of suffering or death that is brought to an end by Jesus's intervention. For a girl, twelve years marked the transition into adolescence, making her death particularly poignant as it cut short a life on the cusp of maturity and potential. Her resurrection, therefore, is a restoration of a life that was just beginning to blossom, underscoring the profound nature of Jesus's life-giving power.

**Why did Jesus only allow Peter, James, and John to witness the miracle, along with the parents?**

Answer: Jesus's decision to allow only Peter, James, and John, along with the girl's parents, to witness the resurrection of Jairus's daughter ([Mark 5:37](/mark/5-37 "Jesus Enters with Three Disciples")) is consistent with a pattern seen elsewhere in Mark's Gospel. These three disciples (Peter, James, and John) often formed an inner circle who witnessed some of Jesus's most profound miracles and revelations, such as the Transfiguration ([Mark 9:2](/mark/9-2 "The Transfiguration")) and the agony in Gethsemane ([Mark 14:33](/mark/14-33 "Jesus in Gethsemane")). This selective witnessing might have served several purposes: to maintain a degree of privacy for the family in their moment of profound grief and joy, to prevent overwhelming public sensation that could hinder His ministry, and to provide a core group of trusted disciples with deeper insights into His divine power and identity, preparing them for future leadership.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Mark 5:42 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus's own resurrection and His identity as the vanquisher of death. The raising of Jairus's daughter is a powerful prefigurement of the ultimate victory over death achieved by Christ on the cross and in His glorious resurrection. Just as He commanded the girl to "arise" and she immediately lived, so too did Jesus overcome the grave, demonstrating His absolute authority as "the resurrection and the life" ([John 11:25](/john/11-25 "Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life")). This miracle assures us that death is not the final word for those who believe in Him. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has disarmed the power of death ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14-15 "Jesus Destroys the Power of Death")), offering the promise of eternal life and a future resurrection for all who are in Christ ([1 Corinthians 15:20-22](/1_corinthians/15-20-22 "Christ, the Firstfruits of Resurrection")). The astonishment of the witnesses in Mark 5:42 foreshadows the profound awe and worship that will accompany the full realization of God's redemptive plan, culminating in the new heavens and new earth where death will be no more ([Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "No More Death or Mourning")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Mark 7:37

And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Mark 4:41

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Mark 1:27

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine [is] this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Mark 6:51

And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

Acts 3:10

And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

Acts 3:13

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let [him] go.