“Simon’s mother-in-law
Was lying sick
In bed
With a fever.
They told Jesus
About her at once.”
ἡ δὲ πενθερὰ Σίμωνος κατέκειτο πυρέσσουσα, καὶ εὐθὺς λέγουσιν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς.
Matthew, chapter 8:14, and Luke, chapter 4:38, have something similar. Mark said that Simon’s mother-in-law (ἡ δὲ πενθερὰ Σίμωνος) was lying sick in bed with a fever (κατέκειτο πυρέσσουσα). They, the people in the house, immediately told Jesus about her (καὶ εὐθὺς λέγουσιν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς). No one explained why Peter’s mother-in-law was living in this house. Was this a permanent arrangement? There were no indications of where Simon’s wife was, even if she was there. Matthew said that Jesus saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed sick with a fever, so that no one had to tell him about it. He saw it himself. In Luke, they asked Jesus about her. In all three gospel stories she was sick with a fever, lying in bed. There is no indication of what kind of illness this was or whether it was chronic or severe.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 