The Meaning of Mark 14:21 Explained

Mark 14:21

KJV: The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

YLT: the Son of Man doth indeed go, as it hath been written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is delivered up; good were it to him if that man had not been born.'

Darby: The Son of man goes indeed as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is delivered up; it were good for that man if he had not been born.

ASV: For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The Son  of man  indeed  goeth,  as  it is written  of  him:  but  woe  to that  man  by  whom  the Son  of man  is betrayed!  good  were it  for that  man  if  he  had  never  been born. 

What does Mark 14:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jesus explained that His betrayal was part of divine purpose that the Old Testament had predicted (e.g, Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). Nevertheless the betrayer would bear the responsibility for his deed and would pay a severe penalty.
"The fact that God turns the wrath of man to his praise does not excuse the wrath of man." [1]
The seriousness of Judas" act was in direct proportion to the innocence of the person he betrayed (cf. Mark 14:9). "By whom the Son of Man is betrayed" (NASB) views Judas as Satan"s instrument.

Context Summary

Mark 14:17-31 - The Last Supper
The two disciples made their preparations, returned to Bethany, and later the whole company came in together. The simple meal, consisting of the Passover lamb, unleavened cakes, bitter herbs, and wine, proceeded in the usual way, interspersed with the singing of the Hallel, Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8; Psalms 115:1-18; Psalms 116:1-19; Psalms 117:1-2; Psalms 118:1-29. How well it is when we do not need the accusation, "Thou art the man," because we utter the inquiry, Is it I? Those whose hearts misgive them are not likely to commit the deed of treachery. At the institution of the Lord's Supper, Mark 14:22-25, Jesus gave thanks for the bread and the wine, Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24. We must understand His words in Mark 14:22 in the same sense as when He says, "I am the door of the sheep." Those who receive the outward elements worthily partake, at the same time, spiritually of the things which they signify. Let us never fail to remember at the Lord's Supper, that it is the sign and seal of the new covenant into which God has entered with Christ on our behalf. See Hebrews 8:1-13. For Mark 14:27 compare Zechariah 13:7. The energy of our own resolution is not enough to carry us through the supreme ordeals of trial. We need the Holy Spirit for that. Mark alone mentions the warning of the double cockcrow. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 14

1  A conspiracy against Jesus
3  Expensive perfume is poured on his head by a woman
10  Judas sells his Master for money
12  Jesus himself foretells how he will be betrayed by one of his disciples;
22  after the passover prepared, and eaten, institutes his last supper;
26  declares beforehand the flight of all his disciples, and Peter's denial
43  Judas betrays him with a kiss
46  Jesus is apprehended in the garden;
53  falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council;
65  shamefully abused by them;
66  and thrice denied by Peter

What do the individual words in Mark 14:21 mean?

For - indeed the Son - of Man goes as it has been written concerning Him woe however to the man that by whom the Son is betrayed better for him [it were] if not had been born man that
ὅτι μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ Υἱὸς παραδίδοται καλὸν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μὲν  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
Υἱὸς  the  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπου  of  Man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ὑπάγει  goes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
γέγραπται  it  has  been  written 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
περὶ  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
οὐαὶ  woe 
Parse: Interjection
Root: οὐαί  
Sense: alas, woe.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπῳ  man 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἐκείνῳ  that 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.
οὗ  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
Υἱὸς  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
παραδίδοται  is  betrayed 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
καλὸν  better 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
αὐτῷ  for  him  [it  were] 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐγεννήθη  had  been  born 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γεννάω  
Sense: of men who fathered children.
ἄνθρωπος  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἐκεῖνος  that 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.