She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Parallel Translations
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She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
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And this woman had a sister called Mary which sate at Iesus fete and hearde his preachinge.
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And she had a sister called Marie, which also sate at Iesus feete, and heard his preaching.
Cross-references (7)
Passages linked to Luke 10:39 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
- Luke 8:35 People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
- John 12:3 Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
- Acts 22:3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
- Deuteronomy 33:3 Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.
- Luke 2:46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.
- 1 Corinthians 7:32-40 But I desire to have you to be free from cares. He who is unmarried is concerned for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. This I say for your own profit; not that I may ensnare you, but for that which is appropriate, and that you may attend to the Lord without distraction. But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn’t sin. Let them marry. But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no urgency, but has power over his own will, and has determined in his own heart to keep his own virgin, does well. So then both he who gives his own virgin in marriage does well, and he who doesn’t give her in marriage does better. A wife is bound by law for as long as her husband lives; but if the husband is dead, she is free to be married to whomever she desires, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she stays as she is, in my judgment, and I think that I also have God’s Spirit.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which…
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Ver. 39. Sat at Jesus’ feet] As his disciples, Act 22:3. So the children of the prophets of old, whence that expression, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today?" 2Ki 2:3.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Observe, 1. Both these sisters were holy and devout…
Observe, 1. Both these sisters were holy and devout women, both had an honor and reverence for Christ, and both are forward to entertain him; these were sisters by grace as well as by nature; yea they both for a time attended upon Christ’s preaching. Mary (also) sat at Jesus’ feet, implying that Martha sat there too, until household occasions called her away.
Oh how happy is that family, where all parties are agreed to receive and entertain the Lord Jesus Christ!
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Observe, 2. No sooner is Christ entered into Martha’s house, but he falls a preaching; while they provide bodily food for him, he prepares spiritual bread for them.
Oh that in our place and measure we might all imitate Christ in this: can we come into any house or company, and find nothing to say or do for God?
Observe, 3. The holy and humble deportment of Mary upon this occasion: She sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his words. When Christ was speaking, Mary was hearing, and little things could not take her off.
Lord, how carefully should we take the present opportunity for our souls, to hear and learn of thee, as Mary did. She was not sure of another opportunity, therefore hears humbly, attentively, and affectionately, as if it were her last hearing season.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain But Martha was cumbered about much serving,.... "Or was…
But Martha was cumbered about much serving,.... "Or was drawn off", from hearing the word, from attending on Christ; being taken up in providing for him, and those that came with him; in dressing food, or in ordering her servants, how she would have every thing done, and in overlooking them, that every thing was done in proper order; so that she had a great deal of business upon her head and hands, which distracted her thoughts, or took them off of divine things, and put her in great hurry and concern. The Ethiopic version renders it, "Martha laboured in preparing many things for him"; making a large and sumptuous entertainment: and the Persic version, which is rather a comment than a translation, renders it, "Martha was busied in preparing food, and making a feast": sparing no cost nor pains, thinking nothing too good, nor too grand, for such a guest she had in her house:
and she came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? she came to him; that is, to Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it: she came out of the room where she was getting ready the entertainment, into the room where Christ was preaching; and, as the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "she stood and said": she did not sit down at his feet, as Mary did, to hear his word, but stood as about to go away again, after she had said what she came about: she did not think fit to speak to Mary herself, though perhaps she might do that first; who, showing an unwillingness to go with her, she therefore applies to Christ, as believing that he would, with her, look upon it as a very reasonable thing that she should take her part with her; and that a word from him would go a great way with her sister. And she seems to speak, not only by way of complaint of Mary, who had left her to prepare and serve up this entertainment alone; but even of Christ himself, in some sort, as if he had not showed that care and concern in this matter, which she thought was necessary. However, she was willing to have his sense of her sister's conduct, and hoped, and even doubted not, but that he would be of the same mind with herself:
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bid her therefore that she help me; that she join, assist, and put an helping hand in this service; speak but a word to her, give her orders, and she will observe and obey.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 39. Sat at Jesus' feet] This was the…
Verse 39. Sat at Jesus' feet] This was the posture of the Jewish scholars, while listening to the instructions of the rabbins. It is in this sense that St. Paul says he was brought up at the FEET of Gamaliel, Ac 22:3.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Sat at Jesus’ feet - This was the ancient…
Sat at Jesus’ feet - This was the ancient posture of disciples or learners. They sat at the “feet” of their teachers - that is, beneath them, in a humble place. Hence, Paul is represented as having been brought up at the “feet” of Gamaliel, Act 22:3. When it is said that Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, it means that she was “a disciple” of his; that she listened attentively to his instructions, and was anxious to learn his doctrine.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain which also--"who for her part," in contrast with Martha.
which also--"who for her part," in contrast with Martha.
sat--"seated herself." From the custom of sitting beneath an instructor, the phrase "sitting at one's feet" came to mean being a disciple of any one (Act 22:3).
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heard--rather, "kept listening" to His word.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 39. A sister called Mary—We have met this sister…
39. A sister called Mary—We have met this sister and noted her before in our comment on Mat_26:1-16. Twice is this Mary rebuked, and twice vindicated by her Saviour. Once the rebuke is among the twelve, and here by her own sister. In both cases the rebuke is for an act of devout love to him as Lord and Redeemer. And in the last instance a eulogy is pronounced commemorating her name and deed forever.
Sat at Jesus’ feet—As her divine teacher and rabbi. So young Saul sat at Gamaliel’s feet. Act_22:23. The rabbi’s seat was high above the disciple’s; so that the disciple was at his feet. The Jewish proverb was, “The disciples must soil themselves with the dust of the feet of the doctors.”
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Heard his word—In our note on Mat_26:12, we note the fact that Jesus seems to impute to Mary a clearer knowledge of his approaching death than even his disciples had attained. May not this have been the time of his imparting to her that knowledge, and may not the solemn sacrifice of the atonement have been the absorbing Subject of this present converse?
No wonder, then, that she should less regard the cares of the house than her more responsible sister.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 39. which also sat at Jesus’ feet] The “also”…
39. which also sat at Jesus’ feet] The “also” shews that Mary too, in her way, was no less anxious to give Jesus a fitting reception. Here, in one or two lines, we have a most clear sketch of the contrasted character of the two sisters, far too subtly and indirectly accordant with what we learn of them in St John to be due to anything but the harmony of truth. This is one of the incidents in which the Evangelist shews such consummate psychologic skill and insight that he is enabled by a few touches to set before us the most distinct types of character.
and heard his word] Rather, was listening to His discourse.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (39) A sister called Mary, which also sat at…
(39) A sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet.—The better MSS. give, “at the Lord’s feet.” Few readers can fail to notice the identity of character here and in the entirely independent narratives of John 11, 12. There also Martha is active (Joh_11:20) and conspicuous in serving (Joh_12:2); Mary, meditative and emotional, pouring her whole soul into one act of love (Joh_11:31; Joh_12:3).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 39. Sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his…
39. Sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word. Martha seems to have been mistress of the house. Her thought was to entertain the Lord; Mary's to hear his word; both commendable; the latter, best.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 10:39 Mary . . . sat at the Lord’s…
10:39 Mary . . . sat at the Lord’s feet in the position of a disciple (cp. Acts 22:3). Rabbis did not usually have female disciples.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.