Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 5:36-39

"But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow with him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and [many] weeping and wailing greatly. And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth." — Mark 5:36-39 (ASV)

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

Jesus knew what he was about to do, and, speaking with the knowledge of the miracle he was about to perform, he said, The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. A charlatan, who wanted to make himself famous, and in order to increase the renown of the miracle, would have said, "The damsel is really dead," but the Savior, in his infinite modesty of heart, states it this way, The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.