for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
Parallel Translations
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for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
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And when they looked they sawe how the stone was rolled awaye: for it was a very greate one.
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And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away (for it was a very great one)
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Mark 16:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 28:2-4 Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
- Luke 24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
- John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain When they cast their eyes toward the sepulchre.
When they cast their eyes toward the sepulchre.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 4 And when they looked, they saw that the…
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Ver. 4. And when they looked] Or, as some read it, when they looked up; for till now they may seem either to have gone plodding on with their eyes downward, or else to have looked on one another, as people use to do when they are conferring.
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.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And when they looked,.... Towards the sepulchre, as they…
And when they looked,.... Towards the sepulchre, as they came near it:
they saw that the stone was rolled away; they perceived it lay at some distance from the door of the sepulchre, which doubtless was very grateful, and matter of rejoicing to them:
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for it was very great; these words are to be read, in connection with the preceding verse; for they are not a reason, why when they looked towards the sepulchre, they saw the stone rolled, because it was a very large one, and so easily to be seen at a distance; but a reason why they were so thoughtful and concerned, who should roll it away for them, it being so big, that they could not think that they were able to do it themselves.
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 4. For it was very great] This clause…
Verse 4. For it was very great] This clause should be read immediately after the third verse, according to D, three copies of the Itala, Syriac, Hier., and Eusebius. "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? for it was very great. And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away." They knew that the stone was too heavy for them to roll away; and, unless they got access to the body, they could not apply the aromatics which they had brought to finish the embalming.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. For it was very great — This clause…
4. For it was very great — This clause seems to render a reason for the query of the women, and would, therefore, be naturally appended to the preceding verse.
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 4. And when they looked] But as they drew…
4. And when they looked] But as they drew nearer amidst the glimmering light, the earth quaked beneath their feet (Mat_28:2), and looking up they saw that all cause of anxiety was removed, for the stone was already rolled away. Observe the force of the expression “when they looked”. It means when they “looked up;” an accurate and graphic detail.
for it was very great] About this fact there could be no doubt. The stone which had closed the entrance was “very great,” and even at a distance on looking up to the height, on which the rock-tomb lay, they could see it was not in its place, but had changed its position.
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 (4) For it was very great.—The words have been…
(4) For it was very great.—The words have been explained as giving the reason for their previous question, but it seems more natural to see in them St. Mark’s explanation of his having used the word “rolled away” instead of saying, simply, “taken away” or “removed.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And looking up (anableqasai) they see (yewrousin) that the…
And looking up (anableqasai) they see (yewrousin) that the stone is rolled back (apokekulistai): for it was exceeding great (megav sfodra). At this point we learn from St. John that Mary Magdalene ran away to tell Peter and John. (Joh_20:2)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 4. Looked. Rather, looking up. They may have been…
4. Looked. Rather, looking up. They may have been looking down before, absorbed in the conversation. The tomb was probably above them, cut horizontally in the face of the rock at a slight elevation.
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.