Mark 7:34
New International Version
He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”).

New Living Translation
Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!”

English Standard Version
And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

Berean Standard Bible
And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).

Berean Literal Bible
and having looked up to heaven He sighed deeply, and He says to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!").

King James Bible
And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

New King James Version
Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

New American Standard Bible
and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

NASB 1995
and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

NASB 1977
and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

Legacy Standard Bible
and looking up to heaven with a sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

Amplified Bible
and looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to the man, “Ephphatha,” which [in Aramaic] means, “Be opened and released!”

Christian Standard Bible
Looking up to heaven, he sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha! ” (that is, “Be opened! ” ).

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”).

American Standard Version
and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus looked up toward heaven, and with a groan he said, "Effatha!" which means "Open up!"

English Revised Version
and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he looked up to heaven, sighed, and said to the man, "Ephphatha!" which means, "Be opened!"

Good News Translation
Then Jesus looked up to heaven, gave a deep groan, and said to the man, "Ephphatha," which means, "Open up!"

International Standard Version
Then he looked up to heaven, sighed, and told him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened!"

Majority Standard Bible
And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, ?Ephphatha!? (which means, ?Be opened!?).

NET Bible
Then he looked up to heaven and said with a sigh, "Ephphatha" (that is, "Be opened").

New Heart English Bible
Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha." that is, "Be opened."

Webster's Bible Translation
And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith to him, Effatha, that is, Be opened.

Weymouth New Testament
and looking up to Heaven He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Open!")

World English Bible
Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and having looked to the sky, He sighed, and says to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened”;

Berean Literal Bible
and having looked up to heaven He sighed deeply, and He says to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!").

Young's Literal Translation
and having looked to the heaven, he sighed, and saith to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be thou opened;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And having looked up to heaven, he sighed, and says to him, Ephphatha, which is, Be opened.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And gazing up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: “Ephphatha,” which is, “Be opened.”

New American Bible
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)

New Revised Standard Version
Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he looked up to heaven, and sighed, and he said to him, Ethpatakh, which means, Be opened.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he gazed into Heaven and he groaned and he said to him, “Be opened.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him: Ephphatha, which means, Be opened.

Godbey New Testament
and looking up to heaven, he groaned, and says to him, Ephphatha, which is, Be thou opened.

Haweis New Testament
and looking up to heaven, he heaved a deep sigh, and saith unto him, Ephphatha! that is, Be opened.

Mace New Testament
then looking up to heaven, with a sigh, he said, Ephphata, that is, be open:

Weymouth New Testament
and looking up to Heaven He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Open!")

Worrell New Testament
and looking up to Heaven, He sighed, and saith to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."

Worsley New Testament
and looking up to heaven He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, be opened:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Deaf and Mute Man
33So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). 35Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.…

Cross References
Isaiah 35:5-6
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. / Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

John 9:6-7
When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. / Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.

Matthew 15:30-31
Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. / The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

Luke 7:22
So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

John 11:41-42
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. / I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”

Matthew 9:29-30
Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” / And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”

John 5:8-9
Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” / Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,

Matthew 8:3
Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Luke 18:42-43
“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.” / Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

John 14:13-14
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. / If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.

Acts 3:6-8
But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” / Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. / He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.

Matthew 20:34
Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.

John 7:33-34
So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me. / You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

Luke 4:40
At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases were brought to Jesus, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.


Treasury of Scripture

And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

looking.

Mark 6:41
And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

John 11:41
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

John 17:1
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

he sighed.

Mark 8:12
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

Isaiah 53:3
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Ezekiel 21:6,7
Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes…

Ephphatha.

Mark 5:41
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Be opened.

Mark 1:41
And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

Luke 7:14
And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Luke 18:42
And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

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Breath Deep Groaned Heaven Means Open Opened Sigh Sighed
Mark 7
1. The Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with unwashed hands.
8. They break the commandment of God by the traditions of men.
14. Food defiles not the man.
24. He heals the Syrophenician woman's daughter of an unclean spirit;
31. and one that was deaf, and stammered in his speech.














And looking up to heaven
This phrase indicates Jesus' posture of prayer and dependence on the Father. In the Jewish tradition, looking up to heaven was a common gesture of seeking divine intervention or blessing. It signifies Jesus' connection with God the Father, emphasizing His divine authority and the source of His power. The act of looking up also symbolizes hope and expectation, reminding believers to direct their focus heavenward in times of need.

He sighed deeply
The Greek word for "sighed deeply" is "stenazō," which conveys a profound emotional response. This sigh is not merely a physical exhalation but a reflection of Jesus' compassion and empathy for human suffering. It reveals His deep sorrow over the brokenness of the world and the effects of sin. This moment underscores the humanity of Jesus, who feels the weight of the pain and struggles faced by those He came to save.

and said to him
This phrase highlights the personal nature of Jesus' ministry. He addresses the man directly, showing His care and attention to individual needs. It reflects the personal relationship Jesus seeks with each person, emphasizing that His miracles and teachings are not just for the masses but for each individual soul.

'Ephphatha!'
"Ephphatha" is an Aramaic word, the language commonly spoken by Jesus and His contemporaries. The use of Aramaic here adds authenticity to the account, as it preserves the exact word Jesus used. "Ephphatha" means "Be opened," and it is a command that demonstrates Jesus' authority over creation. This word signifies the power of Jesus' spoken word to bring about physical and spiritual transformation.

(which means, 'Be opened!')
The explanation provided in the text ensures that the audience understands the significance of the Aramaic term. "Be opened" is not only a command for the physical healing of the man's ears and tongue but also a metaphor for spiritual awakening. It invites believers to open their hearts to the truth of the Gospel and the transformative power of Christ. This phrase serves as a reminder of the accessibility of God's grace and the invitation to experience His healing and renewal.

(34) Looking up to heaven, he sighed.--The look, it is clear, implied prayer, as in John 11:41. The "sigh," too, has its counterpart in the "groans" and "tears" of John 11:33; John 11:35; John 11:38, and finds its analogue in the sadness of sympathy which we feel at the sight of suffering, even when we know that we have the power to remove its cause.

Ephphatha.--Another instance of St. Mark's reproduction of the very syllables uttered by our Lord. (See Introduction, and Note on Mark 5:41.) . . .

Verses 34, 35. - And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. He looked up to heaven, because from thence come all good things - words for the dumb, hearing for the deaf, healing for all infirmities; and thus he would teach the infirm man by a manifest sign to what quarter he was to look for the true source of his cure. he sighed (ἐστέναξε); literally, he groaned. Why did our Lord sigh at such a moment? We know indeed that he was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;" but now we might almost have expected a momentary smile of loving joy when he was about to give back to this afflicted man the use of these valuable instruments of thought and action. But he sighed even then; for he was touched with the feeling of human infirmity, and no doubt his comprehensive eye would take in the vast amount of misery, both bodily and spiritual, which has come upon the world through sin; and this, too, immediately after having looked up to heaven, and thought of the realm of bliss which for a time he had left "for us men, and for our salvation." Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. This word is, of course, addressed to the man himself; and the evangelist has retained the original Syro-Chaldaic word, as he has retained "Talitha cumi" elsewhere: so that the actual word which passed through the Saviour's lips, and restored speech and hearing to the afflicted, might be handed on, as doubtless it will be, to the end of time. The word applies of course, primarily, though not exclusively, to the ear; for not only were his ears opened; but the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

looking up
ἀναβλέψας (anablepsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 308: To look up, recover my sight. From ana and blepo; to look up; by implication, to recover sight.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

heaven,
οὐρανὸν (ouranon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.

He sighed deeply
ἐστέναξεν (estenaxen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4727: To groan, expressing grief, anger, or desire. From stenos; to make in straits, i.e. to sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

said
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

to him,
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“Ephphatha!”
Ἐφφαθά (Ephphatha)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2188: (Aramaic, meaning) be opened up. Of Chaldee origin; be opened!

(which
(ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

means,
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

“Be opened!”).
Διανοίχθητι (Dianoichthēti)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1272: To open fully. From dia and anoigo; to open thoroughly, literally or figuratively.


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