Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

MARK 3:30KJV
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Mark 3:30 (KJV)

What does Mark 3:30 mean?

Mark 3:30 explains that Jesus was accused by some people of being possessed by an "unclean spirit." This statement is given as the reason for Jesus' earlier strong warning about blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.

In the story, religious leaders had claimed that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of an evil spirit rather than by God's Spirit. Mark 3:30 makes it clear that Jesus' warning was a direct response to this accusation. The verse highlights the seriousness of misjudging the source of Jesus' power and calling God's work evil.

The Greek behind Mark 3:30

  • "Unclean" (ἀκάθαρτον, akatharton): This word means ritually or morally impure. Calling a spirit "unclean" in this context means accusing Jesus of being influenced by something evil or opposed to God, not just something physically dirty.
  • "Spirit" (πνεῦμα, pneuma): This word can mean breath, wind, or spirit. Here, it refers to a supernatural being or force. The accusation is that Jesus' actions come from an evil spiritual source, not from God.

Why Mark 3:30 matters

  • Mark 3:30 clarifies exactly why Jesus gave such a stern warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—it was because people were attributing God's work to an evil spirit.
  • This verse helps the reader see the gravity of misunderstanding or deliberately mislabeling the source of Jesus' power, which is a central issue in the surrounding passage.
  • Mark 3:30 connects the warning to a real situation, grounding Jesus' words in a specific accusation rather than a general principle.

Where else these words appear

“unclean” Greek G169 · used in 29 verses

  • Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
  • Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
  • Acts 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.