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Verse

Mark 7:37

ESV And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
NIV People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
NASB And they were utterly astonished, saying, 'He has done all things well; He makes even those who are deaf hear, and those who are unable to talk, speak.'
CSB They were extremely astonished and said, "He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
NLT They were completely amazed and said again and again, 'Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.'
KJV And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
NKJV And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

What does Mark 7:37 mean?

When the crowd brings the deaf man with the speech impediment to Jesus, they don't ask Him to heal him but to lay His hands on him (Mark 7:32). It could very well be that the people don't expect healing, but just a blessing. "Astonished" is from the Greek root word ekplesso and means to be struck with amazement, as if someone hits you. "Beyond all measure" is from the Greek root word huperperiossos and is used only here in the New Testament. When the crowd says Jesus has done "all things" well, it suggests they knew of His success in healing in other areas—perhaps from the man Jesus freed from a legion of demons (Mark 5:1–20).

Although the term for "speech impediment" is used in Mark 7:32, here the crowd seems to say the man was mute. The Greek root word alalos can mean completely speechless or just impossible to understand. The healing brings to mind the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 35:5–6, in which God promises, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy." Earlier, Jesus did not correct the Canaanite woman when she called Him "O Lord, Son of David" (Matthew 15:22). Soon, Jesus will lead Peter to confess that Jesus is, in fact, the Jewish Messiah (Mark 8:27–30).

Despite Jesus' request that the crowd keep this secret, they can't contain it (Mark 7:36). Before long He will pull away to a mountain where many will demand healing, including the prophesied lame, blind, and crippled (Matthew 15:29–31). Yet again, the day will grow late, and the people will get hungry. The Pharisees scolded Jesus' disciples for not practicing the manmade tradition of washing hands before eating. Meanwhile, Jesus is happy to interact with a Canaanite woman at the table (Mark 7:24–30) and share bread with some four thousand Jews and Gentiles, sitting on the ground (Mark 8:1–10).
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