Mark 5:25

Mark 5:25, in plain English

In the crowd is a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. Twelve years of pain, isolation, and being considered 'unclean' by everyone around her.

Why it's here

Under Jewish law, her condition made her ritually unclean — meaning she couldn't worship at the temple, and anyone she touched became unclean too. She was cut off from community.

Who's speaking

Mark introduces this woman in the middle of Jairus' story.

Where it sits in the story

For twelve long years, this woman has suffered in silence and isolation. Her condition affected every area of her life — spiritual, social, physical. She's as desperate as Jairus.

The scholarly reading

Mark introduces a woman suffering from chronic hemorrhaging (ousa en rhysei haimatos) for twelve years — a condition rendering her perpetually ritually unclean under Levitical law (Lev 15:25-27) and socially isolated.

Language and setting

The twelve years of the woman's suffering will parallel the twelve years of Jairus' daughter's life (v.42), creating a literary connection between the two interwoven stories.

Voice

Mark introduces the hemorrhaging woman, beginning the intercalated narrative.

Significance

Into the urgent journey to Jairus' house, Mark inserts another desperate story: a woman who has bled continuously for twelve years, enduring perpetual uncleanness and social exclusion.

23and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”

24So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him.

25And a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years.

26She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.

27When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.

Read all of Mark 5 — A man possessed by a thousand demons, a woman who has bled for twelve years, a father whose daughter has just died — all healed in a single chapter.