Mark 16:4 (KJV)

What does Mark 16:4 mean?

Mark 16:4 describes how the women who came to Jesus’ tomb on the first Easter morning saw that the large stone covering the entrance had already been rolled away. The verse highlights their surprise, since the stone was very large and would have been difficult to move.

In this scene, a group of women followers of Jesus are approaching his tomb to anoint his body. The verse draws attention to the practical problem they expected—moving a massive stone—and their discovery that it had already been taken care of. This sets the stage for the events that follow, where they find the tomb empty.

The Greek behind Mark 16:4

• The word for "looked" is ἀναβλέψασαι (anablepsasai, tagged as G308), which often means to look up or to look intently. This suggests the women were actively checking the situation, not just glancing.
• The word for "very" is σφόδρα (sphodra, tagged as G4970), which means exceedingly or extremely. The Greek here emphasizes just how large the stone was, underlining the unexpected nature of what they found.
• The word for "great" is μέγας (megas, tagged as G3173), meaning large or great in size. The combination of these words stresses the size of the obstacle that had been removed.

Why Mark 16:4 matters

• Mark 16:4 clears up any idea that the stone could have been easily moved by the women themselves; the text stresses its size to show this was not a simple task.
• The verse prepares the reader for the miracle of the resurrection by showing that something extraordinary had already happened before the women arrived.
• This detail connects to the wider theme in Mark’s Gospel of God overcoming human limitations and obstacles, setting up the revelation that Jesus is no longer in the tomb.