Exegesis:

exelthōn ‘coming out (of the boat),’ ‘when he landed.’

polun ochlon (cf. 5.21, 24) ‘a large crowd.’

esplagchnisthē (cf. 1.41) ‘he was moved with compassion,’ ‘he was touched with pity,’ ‘he felt sorry.’

hōs probata mē echonta poimena ‘as sheep not having a shepherd’: the words reflect O.T. passages such as Num. 27.17; 1 Chron. 22.17; Ezek. 34.5.

probaton (14.27) ‘sheep.’

poimēn (14.27) ‘shepherd.’

polla either adverbial ‘much’ (Taylor, Moffatt, Lagrange) or adjectival ‘many things’ (American Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, The Modern Speech New Testament, Goodspeed, Manson, O Novo Testamento de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo. Revisdo Autorizada).

Translation:

Depending upon the extent to which Jesus may have been introduced into the preceding verses, it may be necessary to employ ‘Jesus’ in place of the first he.

Landed is in some languages ‘climbed out of the boat onto the land.’

Compassion is an emotion frequently described in terms closely related to words for ‘pain’ and ‘crying,’ e.g. ‘he cried in his insides’ (Shilluk), ‘pain came to his heart’ (Tojolabal), ‘his heart was full of mercy’ (Pamona), and ‘he died of pity’ (Yaka). This is the highest type of sympathy.

Sheep without a shepherd are ‘sheep which had no one to care for them’ or ‘sheep which no one helped’ (or ‘guarded,’ ‘protected’).

Sheep are known throughout most of the world, even though, as in Central Africa, they are a far cry from the fleecy wool-producing animals of colder climates. Where such animals are known, even by seemingly strange names, e.g. ‘cotton deer’ (Yucateco) or ‘woolly goat’ (Barrow Eskimo), such names should be used. In some instances, one may wish to borrow a name and use a classifier, e.g. ‘an animal called sheep.’ In still other instances translators have used ‘animal which produces wool,’ for though people are not acquainted with the animals they are familiar with wool.

We may say teach many things, but in other languages one can only ‘teach many words,’ ‘teach much,’ or ‘explain long’ (referring to the time occupied in speaking).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .