Mark 3:27 (KJV)

What does Mark 3:27 mean?

Mark 3:27 uses the picture of someone trying to rob a strong man’s house to make a point: you cannot take what belongs to a strong man unless you first tie him up. Only then can you take his possessions. Jesus is explaining that real power must be dealt with before any real change can happen.

In Mark 3:27, Jesus is speaking to a crowd, including religious leaders who have accused him of casting out demons by the power of evil. Jesus uses this short parable to show that he is not working with evil, but rather overpowering it. The “strong man” represents a powerful force (often understood as Satan), and Jesus is saying that he must first defeat or restrain this power before freeing those under its control.

The Greek behind Mark 3:27

• ἰσχυροῦ (ischyrou, “strong man”): This word emphasizes someone with real strength or power, highlighting that the opposition Jesus faces is not weak, but formidable.
• δῆσῃ (dēsē, “bind”): The Greek here means to tie up or restrain, showing that Jesus’s work involves actively overcoming or limiting the strong man’s ability to resist.
• διαρπάσαι (diarpasai, “spoil”): This word means to plunder or carry off goods, stressing that what Jesus is doing is not just a minor act, but a decisive victory over the strong man’s possessions.

Why Mark 3:27 matters

• Mark 3:27 clears up the accusation that Jesus is working with evil powers by showing that he is actually overpowering them, not cooperating with them.
• The verse highlights Jesus’s authority and strength, setting the stage for understanding his miracles as acts of liberation, not collusion.
• This short parable connects to the larger theme in Mark’s Gospel of Jesus confronting and defeating evil, helping readers see his actions in a new light.