Mark 9NASB
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Mark9

New American Standard

1And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God when it has come with power.”

2And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;

3and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

4And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.

5Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here; let’s make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

6For he did not know how to reply; for they became terrified.

7Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”

8And suddenly they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.

9As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead.

10They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant.

11And they asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

12And He said to them, “Elijah does come first and he restores all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt?

13But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written of him.”

14And when they came back to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.

15Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.

16And He asked them, “What are you disputing with them?”

17And one person from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;

18and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. And I told Your disciples so that they would cast it out, but they could not do it.”

19And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”

20And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

21And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

22It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

23But Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”

24Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again!”

26And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!”

27But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up.

28When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why is it that we could not cast it out?”

29And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer.”

30And from there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it.

31For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.”

32But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

33They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them: “What were you discussing on the way?”

34But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

35And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

36And He took a child and placed him among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,

37“Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

38John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.”

39But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.

40For the one who is not against us is for us.

41For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.

42“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.

43And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

44

45And if your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life without a foot, than, having your two feet, to be thrown into hell.

46

47And if your eye is causing you to sin, throw it away; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell,

48where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished.

49For everyone will be salted with fire.

50Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Mark 9.

Full AI study →

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The transfiguration. (1–13). An evil spirit cast out. (14–29). The apostles reproved. (30–40). Pain to be preferred to sin. (41–50).

vv1-13

Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.

vv14-29

The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.

vv30-40

The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.

Cross References

Mark 9
v11Malachi 4:5fulfillment

Scribes expected Elias based on Malachi's prophecy; Jesus explains how it was fulfilled in John.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v12Isaiah 53:3fulfillment

Predicts the Son of man must suffer many things and be set at nought (despised/rejected).

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v12Daniel 9:26fulfillment

The Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would be cut off and set at nought.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v44Isaiah 66:24quotation

Jesus directly quotes this verse describing the unending worm and unquenchable fire of judgment.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v2Exodus 34:29-35typology

Moses' shining face after being on the mountain typifies Christ's glorious transfiguration.

Supported by JFB

v11Matthew 17:11-13thematic

Parallel account of the disciples' question and Jesus' explanation regarding the coming of Elias.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v12Luke 1:17thematic

Angel explains John would go forth in the spirit and power of Elias.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v49Leviticus 2:13typology

The Old Testament law requiring every sacrificial offering to be seasoned with salt.

Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin

v1Matthew 16:28thematic

Parallel promise of some not tasting death before seeing the Son of man's kingdom.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v18Luke 9:39thematic

Parallel medical and physical details of the demoniac boy's violent seizures.

Supported by JFB

v33Matthew 18:1thematic

Parallel account of the disciples disputing who should be the greatest in the kingdom.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v38Numbers 11:26-29typology

Joshua's desire to forbid Eldad and Medad parallels John's desire to forbid the outside exorcist.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v32Luke 9:45thematic

Parallel noting the disciples' failure to understand and their fear to ask Jesus.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v43Matthew 5:29thematic

Parallel instruction from the Sermon on the Mount about cutting off offending body parts.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v50Matthew 5:13thematic

Parallel teaching on the goodness of salt and the danger of it losing its savor.

Supported by Matthew Henry