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6:50 it is I: Or, "I am". • Jesus takes for himself the 5divine name "I AM" that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:14). This claim to divinity is corroborated as Jesus does what only God can do: he treads upon the sea (Job 9:8). • Mystically (Glossa ordinaria): Jesus walks on the water to reveal the mystery of his sinlessness. It is because he is entirely free from the weight of sin that he can stride safely across the sea without sinking. Back to text.

6:53 Gennesaret: A village on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Back to text.

6:56 the fringe of his garment: Moses instructed the 6 Israelites to wear tassels on their clothing as visible reminders to keep God's commandments (Num 15:38-40). • Jesus often makes tangible things such as spittle (8:23), clay (Jn 9:6), clothing (5:28-29), and water (Jn 9:7) channels of his healing power. He thus prepares the way for the seven sacraments of the New Covenant, which heal the body and soul as visible instruments of grace (CCC 1504). Back to text.

7:3 the tradition of the elders: Religious customs manufactured by the Pharisees and added to the Mosaic Law. Sometimes called the oral Law, this body of rituals was designed to supplement God's written Law and intensify its requirements of ritual purity. These traditions were passed on orally until recorded in the Jewish Mishnah about A.D. 200. Here the controversy is sparked by the "unwashed" hands of the disciples (7:2). The Pharisees charge them, not with poor hygiene, but with religious laxity. Jesus responds with a vigorous attack on these Pharisaic customs because they distract practitioners from the more important principles of the Mosaic Law (7:8-9). That is, they emphasize the dangers of ritual impurity (on the hands) to the neglect of moral defilement (in the heart) defined by the commandments (7:20-23). In the end, these traditions promoted by the elders are examples of merely human tradition that the Pharisees have wrongly elevated to an equal level with the revealed Law of God (CCC 581). See note on Col 2:8 and essay: Who Are the Pharisees? at Mk 2. Back to text.


7:6-7 A reference to Is 29:13. • Isaiah reprimands Jerusalem for consulting its politicians while rejecting the prophets. Because their leaders routinely exclude the Lord from foreign policy decisions and rely instead on their own wisdom, their worship of the Lord has become empty and vain. No longer, says Isaiah, will Yahweh tolerate their lip service when their hearts are devoid of living faith. The Pharisees have fallen into the same trap of rejecting God's wisdom in favor of their own (Mt 23:23; Col 2:20-23). As a result, their venerated traditions are empty and in dangerous competition with God's will as revealed in the gospel. Back to text.

7:11 Corban: Aramaic for "offering". It denotes something dedicated to God for a religious purpose. It often consisted of money or property donated by vow to the Temple. Jesus denounces the abuse of this practice: giving gifts to the Temple does not exempt children from the obligation of honoring their parents through financial support (Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16; CCC 2218). Back to text.

7:19 all foods clean: An editorial comment by Mark. Since Jesus traces true defilement back to the heart (7:21), the outward distinctions between clean and unclean as defined by the Old Covenant are no longer operative or binding in the New. These ceremonial distinctions have been superseded in two ways: (1) Ritual defilement was an external matter under the Old Covenant, whereas the New Covenant penetrates to cleanse and govern the inward life of believers (Mt 5:8; Acts 15:9). (2) Since Mosaic food laws effectively separated Israel from the Gentiles, these dietary restrictions were set aside in the New Covenant once Jews and Gentiles were gathered together into the same covenant family. The early Church grappled much with the issues surrounding Old Covenant dietary laws and table-fellowship in light of the gospel (Acts 10:916; Rom 14:13-23; Gal 2:11-16; CCC 582). Back to text.

7:21 the heart of man: In biblical terminology, the heart is the center of the person and the source of every decision that manifests itself through deeds. Jesus thus links true defilement with the heart, where evil actions and intentions have their hidden beginning (Mt 5:28). His inventory of vices is similar to others in the NT (Rom 1:29-31; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Pet 4:3; CCC 1432, 2517-19). Back to text.

7:24 Tyre and Sidon: Two Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean coast, north of Palestine. They were predominantly Gentile in population and thus contemptible to the Jews (Ezek 26:1-28:26; Joel 3:4-8). Back to text.

7:27 the children first: The children of Israel hold first claim to the blessings of the New Covenant (Mt 15:24; Rom 1:16; 9:4-5; CCC 839). Only after Jesus' Resurrection is the gospel systematically proclaimed to all nations (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). dogs: Often a derogatory term in the Bible (1 Sam 17:43; Phil 3:2; Rev 22:15). Jesus uses it to illustrate the progress of the gospel: just as children are fed before pets, so the gospel is offered to Israel before the Gentiles. The woman's acceptance of this epithet reveals her humility, and her unwillingness to be turned away reveals her perseverance (7:28-29). Back to text.

7:31 the Decapolis: This setting indicates that Jesus continued to travel and minister in Gentile territory. See note on Mk 5:1Back to text.

7:33 privately: Reflects Jesus' intention to conceal his identity. See note on Mk 1:44Back to text.

7:34 Ephphatha: An Aramaic expression that Mark translates for his Gentile readers. Back to text.

7:37 the deaf . . . the mute: Recalls the messianic blessings prophesied in Is 35:4-6 (Wis 10:21; CCC 549). See note on Mt 11:5Back to text.

8:1-10 An episode similar to the miracle in 6:35-44, but dissimilar in several details. Jesus multiplies seven (8:5) loaves instead of five (6:38), collects seven (8:8) leftover baskets instead of twelve (6:43), and feeds four thousand (8:9) people instead of 5,000 (6:44). The symbolism of these figures is examined in 8:18-21. Back to text.

8:2 I have compassion: The lack of food in this episode illustrates how Jesus rewards the crowd for their perseverance, despite natural discomforts like hunger (8:2). Back to text.

8:6 given thanks: A translation of the Greek verb eucharisteō, which is the basis for the English word "Eucharist". Jesus' multiplication of bread after giving thanks foreshadows the Last Supper and the institution of the Blessed Sacrament (1 Cor 11:24; CCC 1328, 1335). See note on Mk 6:35-44Back to text.

8:10 Dalmanutha: An unknown location in Galilee also called "Magadan" (Mt 15:39). Back to text.

8:11 a sign from heaven: Jesus refuses to perform miracles on demand, especially not for Pharisees who are plotting to destroy him (3:6). They are like the Israelites in the wilderness who refused to believe in God, even after seeing numerous signs in Egypt (Num 14:11; CCC 548). Back to text.

8:15 the leaven: A metaphor based on the "one loaf" in the boat (8:14). Jesus warns the disciples that as leaven permeates and expands bread, so the Pharisees and their teaching exert a corruptive influence on the crowds (Mt 16:11-12). Similar imagery is used elsewhere in the NT (Lk 12:1; 1 Cor 5:6-8; Gal 5:9). Herod: Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. He was interested in Jesus primarily as a miracle worker (Lk 23:8). See note on 6:14. Back to text.

8:19-21 Jesus rehearses the figures in both miracles of the loaves (6:35-44; 8:1-10). While the symbolism of these numbers is nowhere made explicit, they most likely signify the nations who hear the gospel. The twelve (8:19) leftover baskets from the first episode represent the twelve tribes of Israel that Jesus gathers into the Church (Mt 15:24; 19:28). The seven (8:20) baskets of the second miracle represent the seven Gentile nations who once occupied the land of Canaan alongside Israel (Deut 7:1) and to whom Christ subsequently offers salvation. Jesus' previous conversation with the Syrophoenician (Canaanite) woman in 7:24-30 already established the point that Israel's leftover bread would be given to Gentiles. Together these figures point to the international dimensions of the New Covenant (Rom 1:16; Gal 3:28). Back to text.


8:22-26 A unique miracle performed in stages. It has multiple significance in Mark: Jesus not only healed the man, but he also heals the spiritual deafness and blindness of the disciples (8:18-21). Although they are still uncertain about his true identity, Jesus sharpens their vision to recognize him as Messiah in the following episode (8:29). • Allegorically (St. Bede, In Marcum): Jesus heals the blind man to announce the mystery of redemption. As God Incarnate, Jesus heals man through the sacrament of his human nature, here signified by his hands and spittle. This grace cures our spiritual blindness gradually, and, as with the blind man, progress is measured in proportion to our faith. Allegorically (St. Jerome, Homily 79), the restoration of the blind man signifies our gradual increase in wisdom, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of truth. Christ's spittle is the perfect doctrine that proceeds from his mouth; it enhances our vision and brings us progressively to the knowledge of God. Back to text.

8:27-10:52 Seven times in this section reference is made to "the way", although this (Greek) motif is muted through various translations like "journey", "road", and "roadside" (8:27; 9:33-34; 10:17, 32, 46, 52). At the narrative level, it depicts the steady movements of Jesus on "the way" to Jerusalem. On a theological level, Jesus is teaching that "the way" to heavenly glory is "the way" of heroic suffering. He first clears "the way" through his own Passion and then summons disciples to follow in his footsteps (1 Pet 2:21; 4:13). • This Marcan motif recalls the New Exodus motif of Isaiah. Just as Yahweh delivered the Israelites from Egypt and led them on "the way" to the Promised Land (Ex 13:21-22), so Isaiah envisioned a second Exodus from the bondage of sin to a new life with the Lord. The prophet describes this as a great journey along "the way" to Mt. Zion (Is 30:19-21; 35:8-10; 40:3-5; 48:17; 51:10-11; 62:10-11). See note on Mk 1:2-3Back to text.

8:27 Caesarea Philippi: A Gentile city beyond the northern border of Palestine. See note on Mt 16:13. Who do men . . . ?: Popular opinion agreed that Jesus was a prophet, but there was no consensus about which prophet he was (8:28; 6:14-15). Back to text.

8:29 You are the Christ: i.e., Israel's Messiah and king. Peter's confession is the climax of the first half of Mark's Gospel. To counteract expectations that the Messiah would be a purely political and military figure, Jesus immediately instructs the disciples about the suffering and shame he will have to face to accomplish his mission (8:31-33). See note on Mt 16:16 and word study: Christ at Mk 14. Back to text.

8:30 he charged them: The blessing that accompanied Simon's name change to "Peter" (3:16) is not mentioned in Mark as it is in Matthew (16:17-19). According to one ancient tradition, this omission reflects Mark's dependence upon Peter for his Gospel information, since it is likely that Peter would humbly omit from his preaching sayings of Jesus that exalt him above others (CCC 552). See note on Mt 16:17 and introduction: Author. tell no one: Jesus enjoins silence on his disciples as part of a strategy to conceal his "messianic secret". See note on 1:44. Back to text.

8:31-33 The first of three predictions regarding Jesus' Passion and Resurrection (9:30-32; 10:32-34). In this way Jesus intensifies his effort to instruct the apostles about the suffering that awaits both him and his loyal followers (8:3437; 13:9). Back to text.

8:31 the Son of man: Alludes to the royal figure described in Dan 7:13-14. Jesus often associates this title with his Passion (9:12, 31; 10:33, 45; 14:21, 41). See essay: Jesus the Son of Man at Lk 17. Back to text.

8:33 Satan!: Jesus rebukes Peter for rejecting the prospect of suffering. Scandalized and perhaps frightened, Peter briefly aligned himself with the mind-set of Satan, who similarly tried to divert Jesus from his mission to suffer (Mt 4:1-11; Lk 4:113). The Crucifixion proved to be a "stumbling block" to many of Jesus' contemporaries (1 Cor 1:23). Back to text.

8:34 take up his cross: A graphic image of suffering. It refers to the Roman custom of forcing criminals to carry on their shoulders a crossbar to the site of their crucifixion (15:21; Jn 19:17). Jesus warns that disciples must be so committed to him that they are willing to endure persecution, hardship, and even death. The faithful, he assures them, will find resurrection and glory beyond the hardships of this life (Jn 12:24-26; 2 Tim 2:11; CCC 458). See note on Mt 10:38Back to text.

8:38 when he comes: The Father has given Christ the authority to judge the living and the dead (Jn 5:22-29; Acts 10:42). At the appointed time he will reward the righteous with eternal life (Rom 2:7) and punish those who are ashamed of him with eternal fire (Mt 25:31, 41-46; 2 Tim 2:11-13; CCC 678-79). with the holy angels: Jesus alludes to the prophecy of Zech 14:5. • Zechariah describes the "day of the Lord", when God will bring judgment on the unfaithful of Israel by gathering armies against Jerusalem to plunder the city (Zech 14:1-2). Once the faithful have evacuated the city, God is expected to "come" with his "holy ones" (Zech 14:5; angels) and there be established "king" over the earth (Zech 14:9). These events transpired with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, which prefigures the glorious return of Christ at the end of history and the full unveiling of his kingdom. Back to text.

9:1 not taste death: Jesus promises to inaugurate his kingdom within the lifetime of the apostles (1:15). This begins with Christ's heavenly enthronement (16:19) and the birth of the Church. Its authority is manifest with the termination of the Old Covenant, when Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed with fire (Lk 21:31-32). The kingdom, while present in mystery in the Church, will be fully manifest at the consummation of history (CCC 669-71). Back to text.

9:2-8 The Transfiguration balances out the shock of Jesus' first Passion prediction in 8:31-33, strengthening the faith of three apostles (9:2) destined for special leadership positions in the early Church. Beholding the glory of Jesus assures them of his divine Sonship and foreshadows their own glorification at the resurrection (CCC 554-55). Like Jesus' Baptism, this event reveals the Trinity: the Father's voice is heard (9:7), the Son is transfigured (9:2), and the Spirit is present in the cloud (9:7). • Morally (Origen, Comm. in Matt. 12, 36): Christ led the disciples up the mountain after six days to show that we must rise above our love for created things, which were made by God in six days, to enter on the seventh day into the vision of Christ's glory. Back to text.

9:2 Peter . . . James . . . John: Three of Jesus' closest companions. See note on 5:37. • Anagogically(Rabanus Maurus, Comm. in Matt. 5, 17): Christ took three disciples up the mountain to signify that those who in this life believe in the Holy Trinity will in the next life behold the three Persons of the Godhead in heavenly glory. high mountain: Traditionally identified with Mt. Tabor in lower Galilee. Theologically, this mountain is the New Covenant counterpart to Mt. Sinai, where Jesus manifests his divine splendor just as God revealed his glory to Moses (Ex 24:15-18) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8-18) on Sinai (Horeb). See note on Mt 17:1-8Back to text.

9:4 Elijah with Moses: Representatives of the prophets and the Law of the OT. Together they testify that Jesus is the foretold Messiah and mediator of the New Covenant (cf. Lk 24:2527; Jn 5:39; Rev 11:3-6). Back to text.

9:5 three booths: Small shelters in which the Israelites dwelt during the liturgical feast of Booths (Lev 23:39-43). Peter requests to build these shelters in his desire to prolong the heavenly experience. Back to text.

9:7 listen to him: This final injunction alludes to Deut 18:15. • Yahweh promised to raise up another prophet like Moses, so that just as Israel received instructions for worship and life issued through Moses, so they must obey the words of his prophetic successor. The Father uses this passage to identify Jesus as this Mosaic prophet (Jn 6:14; Acts 3:22). Back to text.

9:10 rising from the dead: The belief in a collective resurrection was accepted by many Jews during NT times (Dan 12:2; Jn 11:23-25; Acts 24:15). Only the Sadducees expressly denied it (12:18). The disciples are here perplexed that Jesus speaks of an individual resurrection, since they as yet had no clear understanding of a dying and rising Messiah (8:31-33). Back to text.

9:11 first Elijah must come: Elijahs reappearance was a common expectation based on the prophecy of Mal 4:5. • In context, God promised to send Elijah to prepare Israel for his scheduled arrival on the "day of the Lord". His mission was to restore family relationships (Mal 4:6) and the tribes of Israel (Sir 48:10). John the Baptist fulfills this prophetic role as the forerunner to Jesus (9:13). See note on Mk 1:6Back to text.

9:13 as it is written of him: As Elijah suffered at the hands of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1-10), so John the Baptist suffered martyrdom by Herod Antipas and his mistress Herodias (6:27). Back to text.

9:17 a mute spirit: Demon possession is sometimes manifested through sickness, seizures, and self-inflicted injuries (Mt 8:16; Mk 1:26; 5:2-5). These phenomena in no way diminish the spiritual dimension of the condition; they simply make it visible. The symptoms here resemble epilepsy (9:18). Back to text.

9:23 All things are possible: The issue is not whether Jesus can cure the boy, but whether his father is willing to believe it. The omnipotent power of God is more than sufficient for the task, but it must be sought with faith and prayer (9:29; Jer 32:17; Lk 1:37). This father, who struggles with "unbelief" (9:24), bids Jesus to stabilize his wavering faith (Lk 17:5; CCC 162, 2610). Back to text.

9:30-32 Jesus foretells his Crucifixion and Resurrection a second time. The prophecy is still confusing and frightening to the disciples (9:32). See note on Mk 8:31-33Back to text.

9:33 Capernaum: Jesus' Galilean residence. See note on 1:21. Back to text.

9:35 servant of all: Greatness in God's eyes is measured by humility and service to others (Lk 22:24-27), a principle put into practice by Jesus (10:45). As future leaders of the Church, the apostles must shun aspirations for worldly honor and attention in order to serve Christ more faithfully and effectively (8:35; CCC 876, 896). Back to text.

9:37 one such child: An image of those who are weak and helpless. Welcoming them with affection is tantamount to serving both Jesus (me) and the Father (him who sent me). See note on Mt 25:40Back to text.

9:42-48 Jesus uses hyperbole (overstatement) to emphasize that drastic measures are needed to avoid sin (CCC 1861, 2284-87). Because public sin can embolden others to sin likewise, the consequences that await those who cause scandal are worse than drowning by the weight of a great millstone (9:42). Because grave (mortal) sins merit hell (9:43, 45, 47), avoiding them requires us to take action so serious that it can be compared to bodily dismemberment (Mt 5:29-30). • Morally (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in Matt. 59): severing bodily limbs signifies the amputation of intimate friends. When close companions drag Christians away from holiness, they must be cut away. It is better for us to enter heaven without them than to maintain their company in everlasting misery. See word study: Hell (page 35). Back to text.

9:49 salted with fire: Probably a reference to the trials and temptations that face believers. Given the preceding context (9:42-48), it may include the purifying suffering of penance needed to avoid sin and turn away from impure habits. Such fire is meant to test the genuineness of our Christian commitment and lead us to perfection (Sir 2:5; 1 Pet 1:6-7; CCC 1430-31). In the end, those refined by the temporal fires of this world will be spared the unquenchable fires of the next. Back to text.

10:1 the region of Judea: Jesus turns from his ministry in Galilee and northern Gentile territory (1:14; 5:1; 7:24; 8:27) to head southward toward Jerusalem (10:32; Lk 9:51). beyond the Jordan: Also called Perea, the region governed by Herod Antipas and the location of John the Baptist's ministry (Lk 3:13). See note on Mk 6:14 and Mt 19:1Back to text.

10:2 to test him: The Pharisees lay a trap for Jesus as part of a strategy to eliminate him (3:6). They anticipate he will deny the legality of divorce and so draw upon himself the wrath of Herod Antipas and his unlawful mistress, Herodias. For it was well known that Herod, the ruler of this territory, and his consort had abandoned their spouses in order to remarry. Because John the Baptist had been executed for condemning their unlawful union (6:17-19) as he ministered in this very region (10:1), the Pharisees hope Jesus will meet the same fate as John by making the same outspoken mistake. See note on Mk 6:18Back to text.


Word Study

Hell (Mk 9:43)

Geenna (Gk.): "Gehenna", the valley directly southwest of Jerusalem. Jesus refers to it 11 times in the Gospels as a dreadful symbol of hell. Two associations are made with Gehenna, one drawn from the OT and the other from Jesus' contemporary setting. (1) Gehenna is a Greek rendering of the Hebrew place-name "Valley of the sons of Hinnom". It was the site of a frightful Canaanite cult that worshipped the idols of Molech and Baal by burning children in sacrifice (Jer 7:30-32; 19:1-6; 32:35). (2) In the NT period, Gehenna served as a smoldering garbage dump where refuse burned continually. Jesus evokes these associations to teach us that hell is not a place of purgation or purification, but one of fiery punishment (Mt 5:22; 18:9; 23:33). In the afterlife, the bodies and souls of the wicked will suffer in hell for eternity (Mt 10:28; 25:41, 46). Other biblical passages corroborate this horrifying prospect (Is 33:14; 66:24; Jude 7; Rev 20:10).

10:4 a certificate of divorce: Moses permitted Israelite laymen to divorce their wives under the Old Covenant (Deut 24:1-4). This was a temporary legal concession tailored to the weaknesses of Israel (10:5). Jesus now revokes Mosaic divorce legislation by returning to God's original intention for every married couple: lifelong monogamy (10:6-9). See essay: Jesus on Marriage and Divorce at Mt 19. • Divorce is one of many concessions that Yahweh made for Israel in Deuteronomy. This is seen by a careful reading of the Pentateuch, which distinguishes the Levitical covenant ratified at Mt. Sinai (Ex 1924; Lev 27:34) from the Deuteronomic covenant that was ratified 40 years later on the plains of Moab (Deut 1:1-5; 29:1). There are, in fact, many laws distinctive to Deuteronomy that are absent in earlier Mosaic legislation: cultic worship was confined to a single, central sanctuary (Deut 12:11), genocidal warfare was permitted for the first time (Deut 20:16-17), animals once sacrificed at the sacred Tabernacle could now be slaughtered in profane contexts (Deut 12:15-24), allowance was made to collect interest on money loaned (Deut 15:3; 23:20), and the grim reality of divorce was tolerated and regulated (Deut 24:1-4). These and other laws indicate that Deuteronomy was a less than perfect law that lowered the standards of covenant faithfulness for wayward Israel (Ezek 20:25). It was always a temporary and concessionary arrangement designed to permit lesser evils in order to avoid greater ones. Back to text.

10:6 from the beginning: God alone is the Creator of marriage and the laws that govern it. • Jesus demonstrates this by citing Gen 1:27 and 2:24, passages that describe God's design for marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman. This marital bond is spiritual, exclusive, and indissoluble. Since it is forged by God himself (10:9), it cannot be broken by any civil or religious authority (CCC 1603, 1640). Back to text.

10:11-12 Divorce and remarriage are prohibited in the New Covenant (Lk 16:18; 1 Cor 7:10-11; CCC 2382-86). To divorce and remarry is to commit adultery. According to Mark's account, Jesus warns both spouses of this danger. This speaks directly to Mark's readers in ancient Rome, where men and women shared the right to initiate divorce. This double warning may also evoke the well-known story of Herod Antipas' illicit union with Herodias, since both of them abandoned their respective spouses before unlawfully remarrying. See note on Mt 14:4 and 19:9Back to text.

10:14 Let the children come: When Jesus blesses the kilkJ children, he attaches great practical importance to his teaching on the indissolubility of marriage (10:11-12). Children are, after all, the fruit of married love and the ones who stand most affected by the tragedy of divorce. God intends them to be raised and blessed in the security of a healthy family. • Jesus welcomes children into the kingdom of God and so lays a foundation for the Church's practice of Infant Baptism (CCC 1250-52). See note on Lk 18:16Back to text.

10:19 the commandments: Jesus reaffirms the necessity of keeping God's moral laws in the New Covenant (12:28-34; Rom 13:8-10; 1 Cor 7:19). The Ten Commandments forever lead God's children to moral maturity and remain integral to our pursuit of "eternal life" (10:17; CCC 2068, 2072). Jesus cites five precepts of the Decalogue that command us to love our neighbors and parents (Ex 20:2-17; Deut 5:6-21). Do not defraud: Not an ordinance from the Decalogue but here included with them. It may refer to Deut 24:14. Back to text.

10:25 easier for a camel: A parable that depicts wealth as a formidable obstacle to entering God's kingdom (1 Tim 6:9-10; Heb 13:5). This difficulty is sorely demonstrated by the young man's refusal to part with his riches and embrace the gospel (10:22). See note on Mt 19:24Back to text.

10:27 it is impossible: We are completely incapable of reaching salvation on our own. The human family descended from Adam suffers from a wounded nature and is unable to obey God completely or consistently without divine assistance (Rom 7:21-25). Only by cooperating with God and his grace can we fulfill the righteous requirements of his Law (Rom 8:4). By ourselves we can do nothing (Jn 15:5), but with the Lord's help all things are possible (Jer 32:17; Lk 1:37; CCC 2082). Back to text.

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