And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "they were immediately overcome with amazement" uses a Greek word for astonishment that implies being taken out of oneself, a bewildered, almost ecstatic state. This isn't just surprise; it's a profound disorientation in the face of God's power. The detail about the girl being twelve years old also resonates powerfully, as the woman healed by touching Jesus' garment had also suffered for twelve years, subtly linking life beginning and life restored.
And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, after being interrupted by a woman's persistent faith and then receiving the devastating news that the ruler Jairus's daughter had died, declared the girl was only sleeping and entered the house with a select few. As he raised her from death by taking her hand and speaking, the immediate and astonishing return of her life left those present completely in awe.
The text says people were 'astonished with a great astonishment.' What does this level of amazement reveal about their view of Jesus' power?
The astonishment here isn't just surprise; it's a profound sense of awe and bewilderment.
'Great Astonishment'
The Greek word used, ekstasis, literally means 'to stand outside oneself.' It describes a state of being so overwhelmed that one is almost beside themselves.
Imagine seeing the impossible happen: a child, declared dead, immediately gets up and walks. This wasn't a gradual recovery; it was instantaneous.
This reaction highlights that the onlookers recognized something supernatural at play. It wasn't just a clever trick; it was divine power displayed so vividly it shook them to their core.
The girl was twelve, and the woman with an issue of blood suffered for twelve years. What's the remarkable parallel here?
The age of the girl, twelve, is not accidental. It echoes the twelve years the woman with the issue of blood had been suffering.
A Double Miracle of Years
Ask a follow-up
Jesus' power intersects these two lives at the same marker of 'twelve years.' This suggests a divine timing and a profound restoration that touches not just physical life, but the very fullness of years and potential. It speaks to Jesus' comprehensive ability to bring life and wholeness, reaching back into years of suffering and forward into years of living.
She arose and walked 'immediately,' but Jesus' next instruction was surprising. What was His focus?
Jesus' power is immediate and complete, but His actions are always purposeful and often counter-cultural.
Instant Restoration, Practical Care
This shows Jesus' holistic approach: He brings life from death and then ensures the basic needs of that restored life are met. It’s a beautiful blend of awe-inspiring power and compassionate, down-to-earth concern.
Understand the original words
ekstasis · Greek Noun
An overwhelming feeling of wonder, astonishment, or confusion caused by witnessing supernatural events or divine power. In the Gospels, it frequently follows Jesus' miracles, indicating the awe of onlookers at His authority.
The detail that the girl was twelve years old is particularly poignant when considered alongside the woman who had suffered for twelve years. This dual timeline highlights the depth of suffering and the completeness of restoration that Jesus offered, affecting lives that had been marked by twelve years of illness and twelve years of life.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus starts teaching, healing, and calling disciples, gathering a following and attracting attention across Galilee and surrounding regions.
c. AD 28
Woman with hemorrhage seeks healing
Amidst a thronging crowd, a woman suffering from a twelve-year hemorrhage touches Jesus' cloak and is instantly healed, a testament to her faith.
c. AD 28
Jairus' daughter is dying
Jairus, a synagogue leader, approaches Jesus while He is on His way to his home, desperately pleading for Jesus to come and heal his very sick young daughter.
c. AD 28
News of the girl's death arrives
Messengers arrive from Jairus' house with the devastating news that his daughter has died, while Jesus is still en route to their home.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus raises Jairus' daughter
Jesus enters the house, dismisses the mourners who are wailing, and, taking the girl by the hand, commands her to arise, restoring her to life.
c. AD 28
Jesus instructs discretion
After the miracle, Jesus commands the parents and disciples present not to spread the word about what happened, wanting to avoid sensationalism.
Jesus declares 'I am the resurrection and the life' here, directly paralleling His power to raise the dead girl in Mark 5:42 with His ultimate authority over death itself.
1 Kings 17:22This Old Testament account shows Elijah raising a boy from death, highlighting a precedent for God's power over death demonstrated through His prophets, which Jesus surpasses here.
Luke 7:15In the story of the widow's son at Nain, Jesus also raises a young person from death, demonstrating a consistent pattern of His compassion and power over the grave.
Mark 5:25-34The parallel account of the woman healed of a twelve-year issue of blood shows Jesus' power flowing out even in response to faith, creating a beautiful contrast with the twelve-year-old girl brought back to life.
Acts 9:40Peter raises Dorcas from death, showing how the power of God, manifested through Jesus, continued to operate through His followers after His ascension.
vincentMark 5:42: "And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment."
Astonishment (ἐκστάσει)Better Rev., amazement, which carries the sense of bewilderment. Ἔκστασις, of which the English ecstasy is a transcript, is from ἐκ, out of, and ἵστημι, to place or put. Its primitive sense, therefore, is that of removal; hence of a man removed out of his senses. In Biblical Greek it is used in a modified sense, as h…
bengelMark 5:42: "And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment."
Mark 5:42 . Εὐθέως , straightway ) It was not by degrees that at last she regained her consciousness.— γὰρ , for ) She returned to the state consonant to her age.— δώδεκα , twelve ) comp. Mark 5:25 . It was at one and the same time the woman was healed [of the issue of twelve years’ standing] and the girl [of twelve years] was raised to life; the…
The phrase "they were immediately overcome with amazement" uses a Greek word for astonishment that implies being taken out of oneself, a bewildered, almost ecstatic state. This isn't just surprise; it's a profound disorientation in the face of God's power. The detail about the girl being twelve years old also resonates powerfully, as the woman healed by touching Jesus' garment had also suffered for twelve years, subtly linking life beginning and life restored.
Jesus, after being interrupted by a woman's persistent faith and then receiving the devastating news that the ruler Jairus's daughter had died, declared the girl was only sleeping and entered the house with a select few. As he raised her from death by taking her hand and speaking, the immediate and astonishing return of her life left those present completely in awe.
Jesus, after being interrupted by a woman's persistent faith and then receiving the devastating news that the ruler Jairus's daughter had died, declared the girl was only sleeping and entered the house with a select few. As he raised her from death by taking her hand and speaking, the immediate and astonishing return of her life left those present completely in awe.
"And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement." — The phrase "they were immediately overcome with amazement" uses a Greek word for astonishment that implies being taken out of oneself, a bewildered, almost ecstatic state. This isn't just surprise; i…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026