22 Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”
26 After crying out and convulsing him greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead, so much that most of them said, “He is dead.”
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up; and he arose.
28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”
29 He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but by prayer and fasting.”
30 They went out from there and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it,
31 for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”
32 But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33 He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
34 But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.
35 He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
36 He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
37 “Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
40 For whoever is not against us is on our side.
41 For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.
42 “Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.
43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
44 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched—
46 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,
48 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
49 For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
8 passages from writers of 3 traditions, in their own words, each with their dates and tradition. The site doesn’t say who is right: read them beside the verses. About these
Reading as
Questions they answer differently
On verse
Oldest first.
Augustine of Hippo354–430Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:38–40We must take care that this saying of the Lord appear not to be contrary to that where He says, "He who is not with Me is against Me." … But surely what is implied is that a man is not with Him in as far as he is against Him, and is not against Him in as far as he is with Him. For instance, he who worked miracles in the name of Christ, and yet did not join himself to the body of His disciples, in as far as he worked the miracles in His name, was with them, and was not against them; again, in that he did not join their society, he was not with them, and was against them. … for they ought to have forbidden his being without their society, and thus to have persuaded him of the unity of the Church, but they should not have forbidden that in which he was with them, that is, his commendation of the name of their Lord and Master by the expulsion of devils.
We must take care that this saying of the Lord appear not to be contrary to that where He says, "He who is not with Me is against Me." … But surely what is implied is that a man is not with Him in as far as he is against Him, and is not against Him in as far as he is with Him. For instance, he who worked miracles in the name of Christ, and yet did not join himself to the body of His disciples, in as far as he worked the miracles in His name, was with them, and was not against them; again, in that he did not join their society, he was not with them, and was against them. … for they ought to have forbidden his being without their society, and thus to have persuaded him of the unity of the Church, but they should not have forbidden that in which he was with them, that is, his commendation of the name of their Lord and Master by the expulsion of devils.
Augustine of Hippo, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:38–42 (from The Harmony of the Gospels); translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, the most widely read of the Western church’s Fathers. His Expositions on the Psalms are mostly sermons to his people, hearing Christ and the Church in every psalm.
Bedec. 673–735Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:22–24The answer of the Lord was suited to the petition; for the man said, "If thou canst do any thing, help us;" and to this the Lord answered, "If thou canst believe." On the other hand, the leper who cried out, with faith, "Lord, if Thou will, Thou canst make me clean," … received an answer according to his faith, "I will, be thou clean." … For no man at once reaches to the highest point, but in holy living a man begins with the least things that he may reach the great; for the beginning of virtue is different from the progress and the perfection of it. Because then faith mounts up through the secret inspiration of grace, by the steps of its own merits, he who had not yet believed perfectly was at once a believer and an unbeliever.
The answer of the Lord was suited to the petition; for the man said, "If thou canst do any thing, help us;" and to this the Lord answered, "If thou canst believe." On the other hand, the leper who cried out, with faith, "Lord, if Thou will, Thou canst make me clean," … received an answer according to his faith, "I will, be thou clean." … For no man at once reaches to the highest point, but in holy living a man begins with the least things that he may reach the great; for the beginning of virtue is different from the progress and the perfection of it. Because then faith mounts up through the secret inspiration of grace, by the steps of its own merits, he who had not yet believed perfectly was at once a believer and an unbeliever.
Bede, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:14–29; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A monk of Jarrow in northern England, called the Venerable Bede, who wrote on the Gospels and the history of the English church.
Bedec. 673–735Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:35–37Seeing however the thoughts of the disciples, the Lord takes care to heal the desire of glory by humility; for He first, by simply commanding humility, admonishes them that a high station was not to be aimed at. … By which, He either simply shews that those who would become greater must receive the poor of Christ in honour of Him, or He would persuade them to be in malice children, to keep simplicity without arrogance, charity without envy, devotedness without anger. Again, by taking the child into His arms, He implies that the lowly are worthy of his embrace and love.
Seeing however the thoughts of the disciples, the Lord takes care to heal the desire of glory by humility; for He first, by simply commanding humility, admonishes them that a high station was not to be aimed at. … By which, He either simply shews that those who would become greater must receive the poor of Christ in honour of Him, or He would persuade them to be in malice children, to keep simplicity without arrogance, charity without envy, devotedness without anger. Again, by taking the child into His arms, He implies that the lowly are worthy of his embrace and love.
Bede, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:30–37; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A monk of Jarrow in northern England, called the Venerable Bede, who wrote on the Gospels and the history of the English church.
Bedec. 673–735Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:49–50For salt means the sweetness of wisdom; and fire, the grace of the Holy Spirit. He says, therefore, "Every one shall be salted with fire," because all the elect ought to be purged by spiritual wisdom, from the corruption of carnal concupiscence. Or else, the fire is the fire of tribulation, by which the patience of the faithful is proved, that it may have its perfect work. … Or the good salt is the frequent hearing of God’s word, and the seasoning the hidden parts of the heart with the salt of spiritual wisdom.
For salt means the sweetness of wisdom; and fire, the grace of the Holy Spirit. He says, therefore, "Every one shall be salted with fire," because all the elect ought to be purged by spiritual wisdom, from the corruption of carnal concupiscence. Or else, the fire is the fire of tribulation, by which the patience of the faithful is proved, that it may have its perfect work. … Or the good salt is the frequent hearing of God’s word, and the seasoning the hidden parts of the heart with the salt of spiritual wisdom.
Bede, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:43–50; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A monk of Jarrow in northern England, called the Venerable Bede, who wrote on the Gospels and the history of the English church.
Theophylact of Ohridc. 1050–1107Orthodoxin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:25–27The reason that He rebuked the foul spirit, when He saw the crowd running together, was that He did not wish to cure him before the multitude, that He might give us a lesson to avoid ostentation. … And observe that God first helps us, then it is required of us that we do good; for which reason it is said that Jesus "raised him;" in which is shewn the aid of God, and that "he arose," in which is declared the zeal of man.
The reason that He rebuked the foul spirit, when He saw the crowd running together, was that He did not wish to cure him before the multitude, that He might give us a lesson to avoid ostentation. … And observe that God first helps us, then it is required of us that we do good; for which reason it is said that Jesus "raised him;" in which is shewn the aid of God, and that "he arose," in which is declared the zeal of man.
Theophylact of Ohrid, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:14–29; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A Byzantine archbishop in Ohrid (in today’s North Macedonia), whose commentaries on the Gospels gather the Greek Fathers.
John Calvin1509–1564ReformedCommentaries · on Mark 9:24Lord, I believe. He declares that he believes, and yet acknowledges himself to have unbelief … These two statements may appear to contradict each other, but there is none of us that does not experience both of them in himself. As our faith is never perfect, it follows that we are partly unbelievers; but God forgives us, and exercises such forbearance towards us, as to reckon us believers on account of a small portion of faith. It is our duty, in the meantime, carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to pray to God to correct them, and, as often as we are engaged in this conflict, to fly to him for aid.
Lord, I believe. He declares that he believes, and yet acknowledges himself to have unbelief … These two statements may appear to contradict each other, but there is none of us that does not experience both of them in himself. As our faith is never perfect, it follows that we are partly unbelievers; but God forgives us, and exercises such forbearance towards us, as to reckon us believers on account of a small portion of faith. It is our duty, in the meantime, carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to pray to God to correct them, and, as often as we are engaged in this conflict, to fly to him for aid.
John Calvin, Commentaries, on 9:24; Calvin Translation Society (Edinburgh, 1843–1855); the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
The French reformer of Geneva, from whose teaching the Reformed and Presbyterian churches come.
John Wesley1703–1791MethodistExplanatory Notes upon the New Testament · on Mark 9:38–40Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples. … Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. … Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples. … Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. … Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 9:38–40; London, 1755; the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
The Anglican priest who began the Methodist movement; his notes on the Bible were written for ordinary readers.
John Wesley1703–1791MethodistExplanatory Notes upon the New Testament · on Mark 9:49–50Every one - Who does not cut off the offending member, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain) and preserves it from corruption. … Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another.
Every one - Who does not cut off the offending member, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain) and preserves it from corruption. … Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 9:49–50; London, 1755; the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
The Anglican priest who began the Methodist movement; his notes on the Bible were written for ordinary readers.
Mark 9
Mark 9:22–50, World English Bible
Mark 9 in the Bible · Told in the Story: Chapter 32, You Are the Christ, Chapter 33, Changed Before Them
What others have written
8 passages from writers of 3 traditions, in their own words, each with their dates and tradition. The site doesn’t say who is right: read them beside the verses. About these
Oldest first.
Augustine of Hippo354–430Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:38–40We must take care that this saying of the Lord appear not to be contrary to that where He says, "He who is not with Me is against Me." … But surely what is implied is that a man is not with Him in as far as he is against Him, and is not against Him in as far as he is with Him. For instance, he who worked miracles in the name of Christ, and yet did not join himself to the body of His disciples, in as far as he worked the miracles in His name, was with them, and was not against them; again, in that he did not join their society, he was not with them, and was against them. … for they ought to have forbidden his being without their society, and thus to have persuaded him of the unity of the Church, but they should not have forbidden that in which he was with them, that is, his commendation of the name of their Lord and Master by the expulsion of devils.
Augustine of Hippo, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:38–42 (from The Harmony of the Gospels); translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, the most widely read of the Western church’s Fathers. His Expositions on the Psalms are mostly sermons to his people, hearing Christ and the Church in every psalm.
Bedec. 673–735Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:22–24The answer of the Lord was suited to the petition; for the man said, "If thou canst do any thing, help us;" and to this the Lord answered, "If thou canst believe." On the other hand, the leper who cried out, with faith, "Lord, if Thou will, Thou canst make me clean," … received an answer according to his faith, "I will, be thou clean." … For no man at once reaches to the highest point, but in holy living a man begins with the least things that he may reach the great; for the beginning of virtue is different from the progress and the perfection of it. Because then faith mounts up through the secret inspiration of grace, by the steps of its own merits, he who had not yet believed perfectly was at once a believer and an unbeliever.
Bede, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:14–29; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A monk of Jarrow in northern England, called the Venerable Bede, who wrote on the Gospels and the history of the English church.
Bedec. 673–735Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:35–37Seeing however the thoughts of the disciples, the Lord takes care to heal the desire of glory by humility; for He first, by simply commanding humility, admonishes them that a high station was not to be aimed at. … By which, He either simply shews that those who would become greater must receive the poor of Christ in honour of Him, or He would persuade them to be in malice children, to keep simplicity without arrogance, charity without envy, devotedness without anger. Again, by taking the child into His arms, He implies that the lowly are worthy of his embrace and love.
Bede, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:30–37; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A monk of Jarrow in northern England, called the Venerable Bede, who wrote on the Gospels and the history of the English church.
Bedec. 673–735Early church, Westin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:49–50For salt means the sweetness of wisdom; and fire, the grace of the Holy Spirit. He says, therefore, "Every one shall be salted with fire," because all the elect ought to be purged by spiritual wisdom, from the corruption of carnal concupiscence. Or else, the fire is the fire of tribulation, by which the patience of the faithful is proved, that it may have its perfect work. … Or the good salt is the frequent hearing of God’s word, and the seasoning the hidden parts of the heart with the salt of spiritual wisdom.
Bede, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:43–50; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A monk of Jarrow in northern England, called the Venerable Bede, who wrote on the Gospels and the history of the English church.
Theophylact of Ohridc. 1050–1107Orthodoxin the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas) · on Mark 9:25–27The reason that He rebuked the foul spirit, when He saw the crowd running together, was that He did not wish to cure him before the multitude, that He might give us a lesson to avoid ostentation. … And observe that God first helps us, then it is required of us that we do good; for which reason it is said that Jesus "raised him;" in which is shewn the aid of God, and that "he arose," in which is declared the zeal of man.
Theophylact of Ohrid, in the Catena Aurea (the Fathers on the Gospels, gathered by Thomas Aquinas), on 9:14–29; translated under John Henry Newman (Oxford, 1841–1845); the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
A Byzantine archbishop in Ohrid (in today’s North Macedonia), whose commentaries on the Gospels gather the Greek Fathers.
John Calvin1509–1564ReformedCommentaries · on Mark 9:24Lord, I believe. He declares that he believes, and yet acknowledges himself to have unbelief … These two statements may appear to contradict each other, but there is none of us that does not experience both of them in himself. As our faith is never perfect, it follows that we are partly unbelievers; but God forgives us, and exercises such forbearance towards us, as to reckon us believers on account of a small portion of faith. It is our duty, in the meantime, carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to pray to God to correct them, and, as often as we are engaged in this conflict, to fly to him for aid.
John Calvin, Commentaries, on 9:24; Calvin Translation Society (Edinburgh, 1843–1855); the text of the Free Use Bible API. The edition
The French reformer of Geneva, from whose teaching the Reformed and Presbyterian churches come.
John Wesley1703–1791MethodistExplanatory Notes upon the New Testament · on Mark 9:38–40Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples. … Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. … Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 9:38–40; London, 1755; the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
The Anglican priest who began the Methodist movement; his notes on the Bible were written for ordinary readers.
John Wesley1703–1791MethodistExplanatory Notes upon the New Testament · on Mark 9:49–50Every one - Who does not cut off the offending member, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain) and preserves it from corruption. … Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, on 9:49–50; London, 1755; the text of CrossWire’s public-domain module. The edition
The Anglican priest who began the Methodist movement; his notes on the Bible were written for ordinary readers.