Mark 3:30
New International Version
He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

New Living Translation
He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”

English Standard Version
for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Berean Literal Bible
For they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

King James Bible
Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

New King James Version
because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

New American Standard Bible
because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

NASB 1995
because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

NASB 1977
because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Legacy Standard Bible
because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Amplified Bible
[Jesus said this] because the scribes and Pharisees were [attributing His miracles to Satan by] saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Christian Standard Bible
because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

American Standard Version
because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus said this because the people were saying that he had an evil spirit in him.

English Revised Version
because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus said this because the scribes had said that he had an evil spirit.

Good News Translation
Jesus said this because some people were saying, "He has an evil spirit in him.")

International Standard Version
…because they had been saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

Majority Standard Bible
Jesus made this statement because they were saying, ?He has an unclean spirit.?

NET Bible
(because they said, "He has an unclean spirit").

New Heart English Bible
because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Webster's Bible Translation
Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Weymouth New Testament
This was because they said, "He is possessed by a foul spirit."

World English Bible
—because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
because they said, He has an unclean spirit.”

Berean Literal Bible
For they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

Young's Literal Translation
because they said, 'He hath an unclean spirit.'

Smith's Literal Translation
For they said, He has an unclean spirit.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because they said: He hath an unclean spirit.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For they said: “He has an unclean spirit.”

New American Bible
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

New Revised Standard Version
for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Because they had said, He has an unclean spirit.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because they were saying, “He has a foul spirit.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For they said: He has an unclean spirit.

Godbey New Testament
Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.

Haweis New Testament
Because they said, he hath an unclean spirit.

Mace New Testament
this was in answer to their saying, he was influenc'd by an impure spirit.

Weymouth New Testament
This was because they said, "He is possessed by a foul spirit."

Worrell New Testament
because they said, 'He hath an unclean spirit.'"

Worsley New Testament
for they said, He hath an impure spirit.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Unpardonable Sin
29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.” 30Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” 31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him,…

Cross References
Matthew 12:31-32
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. / Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.

Luke 12:10
And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Hebrews 10:29
How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

1 John 5:16
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.

Matthew 9:34
But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.”

John 7:20
“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”

John 8:48-52
The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?” / “I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. / I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge. ...

Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.

Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.

Jeremiah 7:25-26
From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again. / Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.

Ezekiel 20:27-28
Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by their unfaithfulness against Me. / When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.

2 Kings 17:14-15
But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. / They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.

Nehemiah 9:26
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

Psalm 78:40-41
How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! / Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

Because they said, He has an unclean spirit.

Mark 3:22
And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

John 10:20
And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

Jump to Previous
Evil Foul Possessed Spirit Unclean
Jump to Next
Evil Foul Possessed Spirit Unclean
Mark 3
1. Jesus heals the withered hand,
10. and many other infirmities;
11. rebukes the unclean spirit;
13. chooses his twelve apostles;
22. convinces the blasphemy of casting out demons by Beelzebub;
31. and shows who are his brother, sister, and mother.














He said this
This phrase refers to Jesus' response to the accusations made against Him. In the context of Mark 3, Jesus had been performing miracles and casting out demons, which led the scribes to claim that He was possessed by Beelzebul. The Greek word for "said" is "ἔλεγεν" (elegen), which implies a continuous or repeated action. This suggests that Jesus was addressing a persistent misunderstanding or accusation. His response is not just a one-time rebuttal but a teaching moment, emphasizing the gravity of attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to demonic forces.

because they were saying
The phrase indicates the reason for Jesus' statement. The Greek word "ἔλεγον" (elegon) is used here, which, like "elegen," suggests ongoing speech. The scribes were repeatedly making this claim, showing their hardened hearts and refusal to recognize the divine nature of Jesus' works. This persistent accusation highlights the spiritual blindness and opposition Jesus faced from religious leaders, who should have been the first to recognize the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies.

He has an unclean spirit
This accusation is central to the conflict in this passage. The term "unclean spirit" (Greek: "πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον," pneuma akatharton) refers to a demon or evil spirit. By claiming that Jesus was possessed by an unclean spirit, the scribes were denying the source of His power as divine and attributing it to evil. This is a serious charge, as it not only misrepresents Jesus' identity but also blasphemes the Holy Spirit, who empowered Jesus' ministry. In the broader scriptural context, this accusation is a grave sin because it represents a willful rejection of God's work and a hardening of the heart against the truth. Jesus' warning about blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29) underscores the severity of this claim, as it reflects a deliberate and persistent refusal to acknowledge God's presence and power in Jesus' ministry.

(30) Because they said.--This, it will be noted, is peculiar to St. Mark. It is as though he would explain to his readers what it was that had called forth so awful a warning. He does not absolutely identify what had been said with the sin against the Holy Ghost, but it tended to that sin, and therefore made the warning necessary.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[ Jesus made this statement ] because
Ὅτι (Hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

they were claiming,
ἔλεγον (elegon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“He has
ἔχει (echei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

an unclean
ἀκάθαρτον (akatharton)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 169: Unclean, impure. Impure (lewd) or specially, (demonic).

spirit.”
Πνεῦμα (Pneuma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.


Links
Mark 3:30 NIV
Mark 3:30 NLT
Mark 3:30 ESV
Mark 3:30 NASB
Mark 3:30 KJV

Mark 3:30 BibleApps.com
Mark 3:30 Biblia Paralela
Mark 3:30 Chinese Bible
Mark 3:30 French Bible
Mark 3:30 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Mark 3:30 They said He has an unclean (Mar Mk Mr)
Mark 3:29
Top of Page
Top of Page