Mark 6:15

Simplified Cowboy Version

and others said Jesus was Elijah or a new cowboy of God like there used to be in the olden days.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But others said, “He’s Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”

King James Version (1611)
Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a Prophet, or as one of the Prophets.

King James Version
Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

English Standard Version
But others said, "He is Elijah." And others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

New American Standard Bible
But others were saying, "He is Elijah." And others were saying, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

New Century Version
Others said, "He is Elijah." Other people said, "Jesus is a prophet, like the prophets who lived long ago."

Amplified Bible
But others were saying, "He is Elijah!" And others were saying, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old]."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But others were saying, "He is Elijah." And others were saying, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

Legacy Standard Bible
But others were saying, "He is Elijah." And others were saying, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

Berean Standard Bible
Others said, "He is Elijah," and still others, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

Contemporary English Version
Others thought he was Elijah or some other prophet who had lived long ago.

Complete Jewish Bible
Others said, "It is Eliyahu!" and still others, "He is a prophet, like one of the old prophets."

Darby Translation
And others said, It is Elias; and others said, It is a prophet, as one of the prophets.

Easy-to-Read Version
Other people said, "He is Elijah." And others said, "He is a prophet. He is like the prophets who lived long ago."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Other sayd, It is Elias, and some sayd, It is a Prophet, or as one of those Prophets.

George Lamsa Translation
Others said, He is Elijah. And yet others, He is a prophet, just like one of the prophets.

Good News Translation
Others, however, said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."

Lexham English Bible
But others were saying, "He is Elijah," and others were saying, "He is a prophet like one of the prophets."

Literal Translation
Others said, He is Elijah; and others said, He is a prophet or as one of the prophets.

American Standard Version
But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets.

Bible in Basic English
But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even like one of the prophets.

Hebrew Names Version
But others said, "It is Eliyah." Others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."

International Standard Version
Others were saying, "He is Elijah." Still others were saying, "He is a prophet like one of the otherother">[fn] prophets."Matthew 16:14; Mark 8:28;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Others said, He is Elia; and others, A prophet as one from the prophets.

Murdock Translation
Others said: He is Elijah: and others: He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Other saide, it is Elias. Some saide, it is a prophete, or as one of the prophetes.

English Revised Version
But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets.

World English Bible
But others said, "It is Elijah." Others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Others said, It is Elijah: and others said, It is a prophet, as one of the prophets.

Weymouth's New Testament
Others asserted that He was Elijah. Others again said, "He is a Prophet, like one of the great Prophets."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Othir seiden, That it is Helie; but othir seiden, That it is a profete, as oon of profetis.

Update Bible Version
But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, [It is] a prophet, [even] as one of the prophets.

Webster's Bible Translation
Others said, That it is Elijah. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

New English Translation
Others said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets from the past."

New King James Version
Others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is the Prophet, or [fn] like one of the prophets."

New Living Translation
Others said, "He's the prophet Elijah." Still others said, "He's a prophet like the other great prophets of the past."

New Life Bible
Other people said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is one who speaks for God like one of the early preachers."

New Revised Standard
But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, others, were saying - It is Elijah, and, others were saying - A prophet, like one of the prophets!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And others said: It is Elias. But others said: It is a prophet, as one of the prophets.

Revised Standard Version
But others said, "It is Eli'jah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wother sayd it is Helyas: and some sayde: it is a Prophet or as one of ye Prophetes.

Young's Literal Translation
Others said -- `It is Elijah,' and others said -- `It is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But some sayde: It is Elias. Some sayde: It is a prophet, or one of ye prophetes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
others said, 'tis Elias. others, 'tis a prophet, or one equal to a prophet.

THE MESSAGE
Others said, "No, it's Elijah." Others said, "He's a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets."

Contextual Overview

¹⁴During this, King Herod heard about everything Jesus was doing. Some were telling him John the Baptist had been raised from the dead to do miracles ¹⁵and others said Jesus was Elijah or a new cowboy of God like there used to be in the olden days. ¹⁶But when Herod heard all the rumors he said, "I cut off John the Baptist's head and now he has come back!" ¹⁷Herod was quite a fright because he had had John arrested and killed because he'd made a promise to his wife. That old gal was a burr under his saddle blanket because she made him kill John. ¹⁸John had criticized Herod for marrying her in the first place. This wasn't just some gal off the street. She had been married to Herod's brother, Philip. It was against God's law to marry your brother's wife if he was still alive and Philip was still kicking around somewhere. ¹⁹So Herodias (Herod's no-account wife) held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, ²⁰but Herod had kind of taken a liking to a cowboy like John who spoke the truth and rode for God. He didn't really know what to think about the things that John said, but he liked listening to him. ²¹So on Herod's birthday, he threw himself a party and all the important people in his kingdom came to it. ²²Herodias's daughter came in and danced for the king. He took such a liking to it that he slipped up and said she could have anything she wanted ²³—even up to half of his kingdom!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

it is Elias: Mark 8:28, Mark 9:12, Mark 9:13, Mark 15:35, Mark 15:36, Malachi 4:5, Elijah, Matthew 16:14, Matthew 17:10, Matthew 17:11, Luke 1:17, Luke 9:8, Luke 9:19, John 1:21, John 1:25

a prophet: Matthew 21:11, Luke 7:16, Luke 7:39, John 6:14, John 7:40, John 9:17, Acts 3:22, Acts 3:23

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Others said that it is Elias,.... This was the opinion, either of many of the Jews, who expected that Elias the Tishbite would come in person, before the coming of the Messiah; and thought by the appearance and wonderful works of Jesus, that he was now come: or of Herod's courtiers, who said this to divert him from his notion of John the Baptist, which they might perceive was very distressing to him; though the former seems rather to be the sense:

others said, that it is a prophet: or "the prophet", that was to come, whom Moses had spoken of, and the Jews expected; this was the opinion of others of them: or

as one of the prophets. The word η, "or", is left out in some copies; and so it is in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions; and then the sense is, this new prophet lately raised up, is as one of the old prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others; or one of them had risen up.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this account of the death of John the Baptist fully explained in the notes at Matthew 14:1-12.

Mark 6:20

For Herod feared John - That is, he stood in awe of him on account of his sanctity, and his boldness and fearlessness in reproving sin.

Knowing that he was a just man and an Holy - A holy, pious, upright, honest man - a man who would not be afraid of him, or afraid to speak his real sentiments.

And observed him - Margin, “kept him, or saved him.” This does not mean that he “observed” or obeyed his teachings, but that he kept him in safe custody in order to preserve him from the machinations of Herodias. He was willing to show his respect for John, and to secure him from danger, and even to do “many things” which might indicate respect for him - at least, to do so much as to guard him from his enemies.

And did many things - But he did not do the thing which was demanded of him - to break off from his sins. He attempted to make a compromise with his conscience. He still loved his sins, and did “other” things which he supposed might be accepted in the place of putting away, as he ought, the wife of his brother - the polluted and adulterous woman with whom he lived. Perhaps he treated John kindly, or spoke well of him, or aided him in his wants, and attempted in this way to silence his rebukes and destroy his faithfulness. This was probably before John was imprisoned. So sinners often treat ministers kindly, and do much to make them comfortable, and hear them gladly, while they are still unwilling to do the thing which is demanded of them - to repent and believe the gospel. They expect that their kind attentions will be accepted in the place of what God demands - repentance and the forsaking of their sins.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Mark 6:15. OR, as one of the prophets. — η, or, is omitted by ABCEGHKLMS-BHV, and one hundred others, Syriac, all the Arabic, all the Persic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two Itala, Origen, Victor, and Theophylact. Bengel, Wetstein, and Griesbach leave it out of the text: the omission of it mends the sense much.