Mark 8:7

Greek (Tischendorf 8th ed.)

English Translation

They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.

World English Bible · Public Domain

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ἰχθύδια

ichthýdion

G2485

“little fish”

Noun, Accusative, Plural, Neuter

Appears 2× in the Greek New Testament
First appears at Matthew 15:34

Full Thayer's Definition

Origin: diminutive from G2486

TDNT: None

1. a little fish

About this verse

These counts appear in no published source. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged text and Lemma’s own curated glosses. What Lemma adds →

8: words
7: distinct lemmas
Gospels: section

Notable vocabulary

The rarest word here is ἰχθύδια little fish G2485 — appearing just 2 times in the whole Greek New Testament.

Shared distinctive vocabulary

ἰχθύδια little fish G2485 occurs in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. Also found in:

Matthew 15:34

Repetition

A word recurs within this verse:

καὶ and G2532 ×2

Cross-references

Topical passages linked to Mark 8:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — connected by theme and wording, ordered by reader-vote popularity; previews shown in the World English Bible.

Matthew 14:19 He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
Luke 6:41 Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?
Luke 24:41–42 While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
John 21:5 Jesus therefore said to them, "Children, have you anything to eat?" They answered him, "No."
John 21:8–9 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away), dragging the net full of fish.

Cross-references courtesy of OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

Commentary

Notes on Mark 8:7 from classic Christian and Jewish commentators (each source and its license shown beneath its notes). The classic Christian expositions comment on the surrounding passage and are grouped to its opening verse, so a note may address several verses; the Jewish commentaries on the Tanakh (Rashi and others) are per-verse, so they appear only where the commentator wrote on this verse.

Lemma curates 59 commentaries, every one of them public domain or Creative Commons licensed, each selected and text-cleaned for this edition rather than reprinted as found. About our sources →

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7. And they, had a few small fishes] This is not noticed in the parallel place, Mt 15:36.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

John Gill's Exposition

And they had a few small fishes,.... Which they also acquainted Christ with, and brought out unto him:

and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. It looks, by this account, as if the fishes were blessed, and brake, and distributed separately, alter the blessing, breaking, and distribution of the bread; and so the Syriac version renders it, "upon whom also he blessed"; and the Persic thus, "and he also blessed the fishes"; but, according to Matthew they were both blessed, and brake, and distributed together, as it is highly reasonable to suppose they were both ate together; See Gill on Mat 15:36.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Trapp's Complete Commentary

John Trapp

7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

Ver. 7. {See Trapp on "Mat 15:36"}

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.

unfoldingWord translationNotes

Door43 World Missions Community

They also had

Here the word "they" is used to refer to Jesus and his disciples.

he gave thanks for them

"Jesus gave thanks for the fish"

They ate

"The people ate"

they picked up

"the disciples picked up"

the remaining broken pieces, seven large baskets

This refers to the broken pieces of fish and bread that were left over after the people ate. AT: "the remaining broken pieces of bread and fish, which filled seven large baskets" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Then he sent them away

It may be helpful to clarify when he sent them away. AT: "After they ate, Jesus sent them away" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

they went into the region of Dalmanutha

It may be helpful to clarify how they got to Dalmanutha. AT: "they sailed around the Sea of Galilee to the region of Dalmanutha" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Dalmanutha

This is the name of a place on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

command

disciple

servant

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges

7. εἶχαν. So [1830][1831][1832][1833]. Cf. Rev 9:8 and 2Jn 1:5; also παρεῖχαν, Act 28:2.

[1830] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[1831] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[1832] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mar 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[1833] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

ἰχθύδια. Like κυνάρια (Mar 7:27-28), this diminutive has its proper force; small fishes.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Alford’s Greek Testament

Henry Alford

7.] We have a curious instance here of correction and confusion in the principal mss.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

International Critical Commentary

7. Καὶ εἶχαν ἰχθύδια3 ὀλίγα καὶ εὐλογήσας αὐτὰ εἶπε καὶ ταῦτα παρατιθέναι—And they had a few little fishes; and having blessed them, he commanded to place these before them also.

εἶχαν, instead of εἶχον, Tisch. Treg. WH. א BD Δ. Insert αὐτὰ after εὐλογήσας Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BCL Δ 6 10, 28, 116, Memph. καὶ ταῦτα παρατιθέναι, instead of παραθεῖναι καὶ αὐτά, Treg. WH. RV. א BL Δ, also DM marg. παρατιθέναι, and C 115, one ms. Lat. Vet. καὶ ταῦτα.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lesson kit

Teaching starters — assembled from the data on this page, not authored interpretation. Every prompt links to the verse data it draws on. Edit before teaching.

Mark, in the Gospels, opens this verse with 8 words (7 distinct Greek lemmas). Its most distinctive word is ichthýdion (“little fish”). A historical commentator’s framing appears above. Read the whole chapter for the surrounding context.

Discussion questions

The word ichthýdion carries the sense “little fish.” How does it shape the verse?
Matthew 15:34 shares the word «little fish» with this verse. How do the two illuminate each other?
“and” occurs 2× in this one verse. What is the effect of the repetition?
These translations render this verse differently. What is at stake in choosing one wording over another?
Reading how Adam Clarke's Commentary and John Gill's Exposition read this verse, where do the two commentators agree and where do they part?

Things to notice

These translations choose different wording for 8 words in this verse.
“and” occurs 2× in this single verse.
7 distinct Greek lemmas span 8 words in this verse.