Mark 5:40
And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was.
Henry Thomson, The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter, Oil on canvas, 1820
Key Differences in the Matthew and Mark Accounts
State of the Daughter: In Mark, Jairus states his daughter is “at the point of death” (Mark 5:23), and she dies while they are walking. In Matthew, the father says, “My daughter has just died” (Matthew 9:18), making the miracle a resurrection from the outset.
Narrative Length and Detail: Mark (5:21–43) is much longer, detailing the crowd and the woman with the flow of blood. Matthew (9:18–26) is heavily compressed, removing the messengers who inform Jairus of his daughter’s death.
Identification of the Ruler: Mark identifies the man by name as Jairus and mentions he is a synagogue ruler. Matthew calls him an “unnamed ruler”.
Jesus’s Actions: Mark includes the detail that Jesus took the girl by the hand and said, “Talitha cumi” (Little girl, I say to you, arise), and that she walked. Matthew focuses on Jesus taking her hand to lift her.
Reaction of the Crowd: Mark notes the crowd was weeping and wailing, and later, they were “overcome with amazement”. Matthew mentions flute players and a noisy crowd, and notes that the report of the healing spread throughout the district.
The Follow-up: Both accounts mention Jesus telling the parents not to tell anyone, but Mark includes the detail that he ordered food to be given to the girl.