Mark 3 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The withered hand — the Sabbath test 3:1–6

vv. 1–2 — the trap set: the man and the watchers

And he entered again into the synagogue,independent — πάλιν — back to the synagogue of 1:21; the fifth conflict scene opens

and a man was there who had a withered hand.independent — perfect ἐξηραμμένην — a settled condition; the attributive participle kept in the line

And they were watching him closely,independent — iterative imperfect — hostile surveillance; the subject withheld until v. 6

whether he would heal him on the Sabbath,content — indirect question — the trap laid on the day itself

so that they might accuse him.purpose — the aim — κατηγορέω, a formal legal charge

vv. 3–4 — the man called forward, the dilemma posed

And he says to the man who had the withered hand:independent — historic present λέγει — Jesus does not evade the trap but stages it

'Rise up into the midst.'content — εἰς τὸ μέσον — the healing made public, before every witness

And he says to them:independent — historic present — the dilemma-question turned on the watchers

'Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm,content — the Sabbath reframed — to withhold the good is itself κακοποιῆσαι

to save a life or to kill?'content — elliptical second pair — ἔξεστιν carried over; ἀποκτεῖναι is what they will plot (v. 6)

But they kept silent.independent — durative imperfect — the sullen silence that concedes the argument

vv. 5–6 — anger and grief, the healing, the plot

And looking around at them with anger,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on λέγει; μετ’ ὀργῆς, Jesus' anger preserved only by Mark

grieved at the hardness of their heart,participial — second preposed participle — grief alongside the anger; πώρωσις, the petrified heart

he says to the man:independent — historic present — the verb strikes after the participial buildup

'Stretch out your hand.'content — the bare command is the cure — no Sabbath 'work' performed

And he stretched it out,independent — the man's act of obedient faith

and his hand was restored.independent — divine passive — God restores; the double-augmented ἀπεκατεστάθη

And the Pharisees, going out,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐδίδουν; the watchers of v. 2 named at last

immediately began plotting with the Herodians against him,independent — iterative imperfect — strange bedfellows; the chapter's one εὐθύς

how they might destroy him.purpose — ὅπως-purpose — the Sabbath of saving life ends in a plot to kill; the cross's shadow at ch. 3

The crowds by the sea 3:7–12

vv. 7–9 — the withdrawal and the gathering of all Israel

And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea;independent — ἀναχωρέω — tactical retreat from the death-plot to the shore

and a great multitude from Galilee followed,independent — the summary statement — the crowd-catalogue begins at home

and from Judeaphrase modifier — the catalogue turns south

and from Jerusalem and from Idumeaphrase modifier — the holy city and old Edom beyond it

and beyond the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon —phrase modifier — Transjordan and the Gentile-fringe Phoenician coast — the circle closes round the land

a great multitude,phrase modifier — resumptive apposition — the subject regathered after the catalogue

hearing all that he was doing,participial — preposed causal participle — leans on ἦλθον; masc. plural with the collective (ad sensum)

they came to him.independent — the converging movement — report of deeds, not preaching, draws them

And he told his disciplesindependent — the precaution — the frame for the boat-instruction

that a small boat should stand ready for him because of the crowd,content — ἵνα of content, not purpose — the command's substance; the boat foreshadows 4:1

so that they would not crush him;purpose — θλίβω — the throng's pressure a physical danger

vv. 10–12 — healings, falling spirits, the silencing

for he had healed many,cause — narrator's γάρ — grounds the precaution

so that they pressed upon himpurpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key)

in order to touch him —purpose — healing sought by mere touch (cf. 5:28) — faith at the edge of superstition

as many as had afflictions.relative — delayed subject of the infinitive — μάστιγες, 'scourges': illness felt as blows

And the unclean spirits —independent — fronted subject, suspended over the temporal clause

whenever they saw him,conditional — temporal ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — with the imperfect, repeated occasions; leans on προσέπιπτον

they were falling down before himindependent — iterative imperfect — forced prostration before his presence

and kept crying out,independent — iterative imperfect — the recurring shriek

saying:participial — pleonastic speech-participle (neuter plural with τὰ πνεύματα) with recitative ὅτι

'You are the Son of God.'content — the demonic confession — true (cf. 1:11), unwelcome on these lips (cf. 1:24)

And he sternly charged them many timesindependent — iterative imperfect + adverbial πολλά — the repeated muzzle (cf. 1:25, 34)

that they should not make him known.content — ἵνα of content — the messianic secret: no disclosure apart from the cross

The Twelve appointed 3:13–19

vv. 13–15 — the mountain: the Twelve made, for presence and mission

And he goes up onto the mountainindependent — historic present — the mountain of election, with Sinai overtones

and summons those whom he himself willed,independent — historic present; emphatic αὐτός — sovereign initiative; the headless relative kept in the line

and they went off to him.independent — the response — they leave the crowd for the mountain

And he made twelve,independent — ποιέω of appointment (Hebraic) — and a creative making: Israel's tribes reconstituted

whom he also named apostles,relative — read by the earliest witnesses (ℵ B), absent from the Byzantine tradition — printed

that they might be with himpurpose — the first purpose — companionship before commission

and that he might send them out to preachpurpose — the second purpose — ἀποστέλλω, cognate of ἀπόστολος; mission grows from presence

and to have authority to cast out the demons;purpose — infinitive coordinate with κηρύσσειν — Jesus' own ἐξουσία (1:22, 27) delegated

vv. 16–19 — the roster: three renamed, eight listed, one marked

And he made the twelve:independent — resumptive repetition of v. 14 (bracketed in some editions) — printed; the roster hangs on δώδεκα

and to Simon he gave the name Peter;independent — parenthetic naming-clause woven into the list — Peter's roster entry; the rock renamed

and James the son of Zebedeephrase modifier — the roster column — accusatives in apposition to τοὺς δώδεκα

and John the brother of James —phrase modifier — the Zebedee pair — with Peter, the inner three

and he gave them the name Boanerges,independent — second parenthetic naming-clause — the shared Aramaic nickname

that is, 'Sons of Thunder' —relative — Mark's translation formula, glossing Aramaic for Greek readers (cf. Luke 9:54 for the temper)

and Andrew and Philip and Bartholomewphrase modifier — the column resumes — Andrew displaced from his brother by the inner three

and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alphaeusphrase modifier — the second James distinguished by his father

and Thaddaeus and Simon the Cananaeanphrase modifier — Καναναῖος — Aramaic 'zealot,' not 'of Cana'; the second Simon

and Judas Iscariot,phrase modifier — Ἰσκαριώθ — Mark's indeclinable form against the Matthean/Lukan Ἰσκαριώτης

who also betrayed him.relative — παραδίδωμι — the Passion's verb, proleptic; the roster closes under treachery's shadow

“He is out of his mind” — the Beelzebul controversy 3:20–30

vv. 20–21 — the frame opens: the family sets out

And he comes into a house;independent — historic present — the first panel of the sandwich (vv. 20–21 / 22–30 / 31–35) opens

and the crowd gathers again,independent — historic present; πάλιν — the press of 3:9 reconvenes

so that they could not even eat bread.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): not even a meal possible

And when those belonging to him heard it,participial — preposed — leans on ἐξῆλθον; οἱ παρ’ αὐτοῦ, family or associates? — the crux; v. 31 argues family

they set outindependent — from home toward him — the journey v. 31 completes

to seize him,purpose — purpose infinitive — κρατέω, the arrest-verb of 14:1, here on his family's lips

for they were saying:cause — recitative ὅτι; the sayers ambiguous — the family's own verdict, or impersonal 'people were saying'; left open

'He is out of his mind.'content — ἐξίστημι — 'beside himself'; the shocking charge the chapter's close overturns

v. 22 — the charge from Jerusalem

And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying:independent — the inner panel — an official delegation; iterative imperfect, recitative ὅτι

'He has Beelzebul,'content — first charge — possession by the demon-prince; the family said mad, the scribes say demonic

and, 'By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.'content — second charge — collusion: the exorcisms undeniable, so maligned at the source

vv. 23–27 — the reply in parables: kingdom, house, Satan, the strong man

And summoning them,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἔλεγεν; the accusers called near to be answered

he was speaking to them in parables:independent — durative imperfect — παραβολαί here proverb-like analogies, before ch. 4's parables proper

'How can Satan cast out Satan?content — the opening rhetorical question — the reductio in one line

And if a kingdom is divided against itself,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — leans forward on οὐ δύναται below

that kingdom cannot stand;content — apodosis — the first analogy: civil war destroys a realm

and if a house is divided against itself,conditional — second protasis — the same logic on the domestic scale

that house will not be able to stand.content — apodosis — future of certain collapse; οἰκία foreshadows the strong man's house

And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,conditional — third protasis — εἰ + indicative, the charge assumed for argument's sake

he cannot standcontent — the application — the accusation would mean Satan's self-destruction

but has an end.content — τέλος ἔχει — 'he is finished'; the premise refutes itself

But no one can enter the strong man's house and plunder his goodscontent — the counter-parable — ὁ ἰσχυρός is Satan, and the intruder ὁ ἰσχυρότερος of 1:7; εἰσελθών kept in the line

unless he first binds the strong man,conditional — backward ἐὰν μή — takes its anchor; the binding already accomplished (1:12–13)

and then he will plunder his house.content — the plundering under way — the exorcisms as spoils of a victory already won

vv. 28–30 — the Amen-saying: all forgiven, one exception, the narrator's ground

Truly I say to you,content — the solemn Amen-formula — Mark's first; the pronouncement of authority

that all things will be forgiven the sons of men,content — divine passive — the mercy swept wide before the exception falls

the sins and the blasphemies,phrase modifier — apposition unpacking πάντα — even blasphemies forgivable in principle

whatever they may blaspheme;relative — generalizing ὅσα ἐάν — however much, however often

but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spiritrelative — conditional relative — forward-leaning like a protasis on οὐκ ἔχει; the single exception

never has forgiveness,content — εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα — no forgiveness ever; the saying's scope is the famous pastoral crux

but is guilty of an eternal sin' —content — ἁμαρτήματος printed; the Byzantine tradition reads κρίσεως ('judgment')

because they were saying:cause — the narrator's ground — Mark steps outside the speech to fix what the blasphemy is

'He has an unclean spirit.'content — v. 22 restated against τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον — calling the Spirit's work unclean is the eternal sin

The true family 3:31–35

And his mother and his brothers come,independent — historic present ἔρχεται (singular with compound subject) — the frame of vv. 20–21 resumes

and standing outside,participial — preposed — leans on ἀπέστειλαν; ἔξω, the thematic 'outside,' physical and symbolic

they sent to him,independent — a message in rather than an entry — the distance kept

calling him.participial — following participle — the summons relayed inward

And a crowd was sitting around him,independent — durative imperfect — sitting around the teacher, the disciple's posture

and they say to him:independent — historic present — the message relayed

'Look, your mother and your brothers are outside seeking you.'content — 'and your sisters' added by some witnesses — shorter text printed; ζητεῖν, in Mark the wrong pursuit

And answering them,participial — pleonastic Semitic participle — leans on λέγει

he says:independent — historic present — the counter-question

'Who is my mother and my brothers?'content — kinship reopened — the question the gesture and saying will answer

And looking around at those seated around him in a circle,participial — περιβλεψάμενος again (v. 5) — the same sweep of the eyes, anger become embrace; leans on λέγει

he says:independent — historic present — the declaration

'Behold my mother and my brothers!content — verbless exclamation — the gesture enacts the answer: the seated circle is the family

For whoever does the will of God,relative — conditional relative — forward-leaning like a protasis on ἐστίν below

this one is my brother and sister and mother.'content — the triad closes the chapter — 'sister' added, the women included; kinship by doing, not blood

Analysis. Mark 3 keeps the flush-left drumbeat of chapter 1 — καί-coordinate purple main clauses, one event per line, quickened by historic presents (λέγει twice over the withered hand, ἀναβαίνει and προσκαλεῖται on the mountain, ἔρχεται and συνέρχεται at the house, ἔρχεται, λέγουσιν and λέγει in the family scene) — and against that column the two Markan indents recur. First, the preposed circumstantial participles leaning anchor-less on the verb below: περιβλεψάμενος μετ’ ὀργῆς stacked with συλλυπούμενος before λέγει strikes in v. 5 (Mark alone preserves the anger), ἐξελθόντες before the plot, προσκαλεσάμενος before the parables, ἀποκριθείς and the second περιβλεψάμενος — the same sweeping gaze as v. 5, now in warmth — before the true-family sayings. Second, speech hanging blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: the staged Sabbath commands and the dilemma-question with its elliptical second half, the demons' Σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ under λέγοντα, the scribes' two charges under ἔλεγον, and the long parable-reply of vv. 23–29, where the divided-kingdom, divided-house and divided-Satan protases lean forward one step deeper than their apodoses — the visible stack of the reductio — before the strong-man saying (its ἐὰν μή the chapter's one backward conditional, anchored under δύναται) and the Ἀμὴν-saying with its forward-leaning ὃς δ’ ἂν exception and Mark's own ὅτι ἔλεγον, the narrator stepping outside the speech to fix what the blasphemy is. The appointing of the Twelve reads as a column of verbless mod lines hanging on δώδεκα, the two parenthetic naming-clauses (Peter; Boanerges, glossed 'Sons of Thunder') woven in as finites, Judas closing the roster with ὃς καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτόν. The cruxes are named rather than hidden: in v. 21, οἱ παρ’ αὐτοῦ — his family (as v. 31's arrival suggests) or only his associates? — and ἐξέστη — the family's own verdict, or what 'people were saying' with ἔλεγον read impersonally? The layout attaches the γάρ-clause to their setting out and leaves the sayers open in the tag. The blasphemy saying's scope is the standing pastoral crux: with Mark's v. 30 the layout ties the eternal sin to the concrete act of calling the Spirit's liberating work unclean — not to the anxious conscience that fears having committed it — and the tag notes the Byzantine κρίσεως against ἁμαρτήματος. Other text-notes carried in the tags: οὓς καὶ ἀποστόλους ὠνόμασεν (v. 14) read with the earliest witnesses; the resumptive καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς δώδεκα (v. 16) printed; 'and your sisters' (v. 32) not printed.