And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

MARK 1:34KJV
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Mark 1:34 (KJV)

What does Mark 1:34 mean?

Mark 1:34 shows Jesus responding to people suffering from many kinds of illness and from the presence of evil spirits. Jesus heals and drives out the spirits, but he also controls whether the spirits may speak about him.

Mark tells the story rather than recording Jesus speaking to a crowd. The phrase “because they knew him” gives the reason Jesus silenced the spirits: they recognized who he was. The verse presents their recognition and Jesus’ command as part of the same scene.

The Greek behind Mark 1:34

  • “divers” — ποικίλος (poikilos): This word carries the sense of various kinds. The KJV uses “divers” to describe a range of diseases, not people who dive.
  • “suffered” — ἀφίημι (aphiēmi): Here the word carries the sense of allowing or permitting. “Suffered not” means that Jesus did not allow the spirits to speak.
  • “devils” — δαιμόνιον (daimonion): This word refers to spirits understood as evil. The plural “devils” in the KJV refers to multiple such spirits.

Why Mark 1:34 matters

  • The verse distinguishes sickness from the presence of evil spirits. Mark describes people “sick of divers diseases” and then separately describes Jesus casting out “devils.”
  • Recognition of Jesus by the spirits is significant in the surrounding passage. Earlier, an unclean spirit identifies Jesus as “the Holy One of God,” and Jesus orders it to be quiet (Mark 1:24–25).
  • Jesus’ work in this scene reaches beyond one person or one household. After people bring the sick and those troubled by spirits to him in the evening (Mark 1:32), verse 34 says he helps “many.”

Where else these words appear

“divers” Greek G4164 · used in 10 verses

  • Matthew 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
  • Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
  • James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

“diseases” Greek G3554 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
  • Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
  • Luke 6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

“sick” Greek G2560 · used in 16 verses

  • Matthew 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
  • Matthew 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
  • Luke 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

“healed” Greek G2323 · used in 43 verses

  • Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
  • Matthew 19:2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
  • Luke 8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,