Mark 9:21

Geneva Bible

Then he asked his father, How long time is it since he hath bin thus? And he said, Of a childe.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" The father answered, "Since he was very young.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he axed his father: how longe is it a goo sens this hath happened him? And he sayde of a chylde:

International Standard Version
Then Jesushe">[fn] asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" He said, "Since he was a child.

New American Standard Bible
And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

New Century Version
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening?" The father answered, "Since he was very young.

Update Bible Version
And he asked his father, How much time is it since this has come to him? And he said, From a child.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he asked his father, How long is it since this came to him? and he said, From a child.

Amplified Bible
Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he answered, "Since childhood.

English Standard Version
And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

World English Bible
He asked his father, "How long has it been since this has come to him?" He said, "From childhood.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he asked his father, How long is it since this came to him? And he said, From a little child.

Weymouth's New Testament
Then Jesus asked the father, "How long has he been like this?" "From early childhood," he said;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he axide his fadir, Hou longe `is it, sith this `hath falle to hym? And he seide, Fro childhode;

English Revised Version
And he asked his father, How long time is it since this hath come unto him? And he said, From a child.

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been with him?" "From childhood," he said.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" The man answered, "Ever since he was a child.

American Standard Version
And he asked his father, How long time is it since this hath come unto him? And he said, From a child.

Bible in Basic English
And Jesus questioning the father said, How long has he been like this? And he said, From a child.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening to him?" "Ever since childhood," he said;

Darby Translation
And he asked his father, How long a time is it that it has been like this with him? And he said, From childhood;

Etheridge Translation
And Jeshu asked the father, How long is it from the time from which it was thus ? He saith to him, Behold, from his childhood.

Murdock Translation
And Jesus asked his father, how long a time he had been thus. He said to him: Lo, from his childhood.

King James Version (1611)
And he asked his father, Howe long is it agoe since this came vnto him? And he said, Of a child.

New Living Translation
"How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was a little boy.

New Life Bible
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" The father said, "From the time he was a child.

New Revised Standard
Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

George Lamsa Translation
So Jesus asked his father, How long has he been like this? He said to him, From his childhood.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he questioned his father - How long a time, is it, that, this, hath befallen him? and he said - From childhood;

Douay-Rheims Bible
(9-20) And he asked his father: How long time is it since this hath happened unto him? But he sad: From his infancy.

Revised Standard Version
And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he asketh his father, howe longe it is a go sence this came vnto hym? And he sayde, of a chylde.

Good News Translation
"How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the father. "Ever since he was a child," he replied.

Christian Standard Bible®
“How long has this been happening to him?”

Hebrew Names Version
He asked his father, "How long has it been since this has come to him?" He said, "From childhood.

King James Version
And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

Lexham English Bible
And he asked his father how long it was since this had been happening to him. And he said, "From childhood.

Literal Translation
And He questioned his father, How long a time is it while this has happened to him? And he said, From childhood.

Young's Literal Translation
And he questioned his father, `How long time is it since this came to him?' and he said, `From childhood,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he axed his father: How longe is it, sens this happened vnto him? He sayde: Of a childe,

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus then asked the father, how long is it since this befel him? from his infancy, said the father.

THE MESSAGE
He asked the boy's father, "How long has this been going on?" "Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!"

New English Translation
Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

New King James Version
So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"How long has this been going on?" Jesus asked. The father replied,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵ And straightway all the people, when they behelde him, were amased, and ranne to him, and saluted him. ¹⁶ Then hee asked the Scribes, What dispute you among your selues? ¹⁷ And one of the companie answered, and said, Master, I haue brought my sonne vnto thee, which hath a dumme spirit: ¹⁸ And wheresoeuer he taketh him, he teareth him, and he fometh, and gnasheth his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples, that they should cast him out, and they could not. ¹⁹ Then he answered him, & said, O faithlesse generation, how long now shall I be wt you! how long now shall I suffer you! Bring him vnto me. ²⁰ So they brought him vnto him: & assoone as the spirit sawe him, hee tare him, and hee fell downe on the ground walowing and foming. ²¹ Then he asked his father, How long time is it since he hath bin thus? And he said, Of a childe. ²² And oft times he casteth him into the fire, & into the water to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, helpe vs, and haue compassion vpo vs. ²³ And Iesus said vnto him, If thou canst beleeue it, al things are possible to him yt beleeueth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

How: Mark 5:25, Job 5:7, Job 14:1, Psalms 51:5, Luke 8:43, Luke 13:16, John 5:5, John 5:6, John 9:1, John 9:20, John 9:21, Acts 3:2, Acts 4:22, Acts 9:33, Acts 14:8

Reciprocal: Mark 5:23 - besought Luke 13:11 - eighteen

Cross-References

Genesis 6:9
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a iust and vpright man in his time: and Noah walked with God.

Genesis 9:3
Euery thing that moueth and liueth, shall be meate for you: as the greene herbe, haue I giuen you all things.

Genesis 9:4
But flesh with the life thereof, I meane, with the blood thereof, shall ye not eate.

Genesis 9:15
Then will I remember my couenant, which is betweene me and you, and betweene euery liuing thing in all flesh, and there shalbe no more waters of a flood to destroy all flesh.

Genesis 9:16
Therefore the bowe shalbe in the cloude, that I may see it, and remember the euerlasting couenant betweene God, and euery liuing thing in all flesh that is vpon the earth.

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging: and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby, is not wise.

Ecclesiastes 7:20
Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

Romans 13:13
So that wee walke honestly, as in the day: not in gluttonie, and drunkennesse, neither in chambering and wantonnes, nor in strife and enuying.

1 Corinthians 10:12
Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heede lest he fall.

Galatians 5:21
Enuie, murthers, drunkennesse, gluttonie, and such like, whereof I tell you before, as I also haue tolde you before, that they which doe such things, shall not inherite the kingdome of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he asked his father,.... As he lay rolling about in this miserable condition, that the length and stubbornness of his disorder might be known, and so the cure the more remarkable, and appear the more expressive of his divine power and goodness:

how long is it ago since this came unto him? since this evil spirit entered into him, and these disorders have attended him?

and he said of a child; or "from his infancy"; so that it was not for any actual sin that he had committed, that this sore affiction came upon him; and yet he could not be without sin, since it was not agreeable to the justice, mercy, and goodness of God, to afflict, or suffer to be afflicted, one that is innocent; and therefore must be tainted with original sin, which is the source and spring of all afflictions, calamities and judgments.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 17:14-21.

Mark 9:14

Questioning with them - Debating with the disciples, and attempting to confound them. This he saw as he came down from the mount. In his absence they had taken occasion to attempt to perplex and confound his followers.

Mark 9:15

Were greatly amazed - Were astonished and surprised at his sudden appearance among them.

Saluted him - Received him with the customary marks of affection and respect. It is probable that this was not by any “formal” manner of salutation, but by the “rush” of the multitude, and by hailing him as the Messiah.

Mark 9:16

What question ye? - What is the subject of your inquiry or debate with the disciples?

Mark 9:17

A dumb spirit - A spirit which deprived his son of the power of speaking.

Mark 9:18

And wheresoever - In whatever place - at home or abroad, alone or in public.

He teareth him - He rends, distracts, or throws him into convulsions.

He foameth - At the mouth, like a mad animal. Among us these would all be considered as marks of violent derangement or madness.

And pineth away - Becomes thin, haggard, and emaciated. This was the effect of the violence of his struggles, and perhaps of the want of food.

Mark 9:22

If thou canst do any thing - I have brought him to the disciples, and they could not help him. If thou canst do anything, have compassion.

Mark 9:23

If thou canst believe - This was an answer to the request, and there was a reference in the answer to the “doubt” in the man’s mind about the power of Jesus. “I” can help him. If thou” canst believe,” it shall be done. Jesus here demanded “faith” or confidence in his power of healing. His design here is to show the man that the difficulty in the case was not in the want of “power” on his part, but in the want of “faith” in the man; in other words, to rebuke him for having “doubted” at all whether he “could” heal him. So he demands faith of every sinner that comes to him, and none that come without “confidence” in him can obtain the blessing.

All things are possible to him that believeth - All things can be effected or accomplished - to wit, by God - in favor of him that believes, and if thou canst believe, this will be done. God will do nothing in our favor without faith. It is right that we should have confidence in him; and if we “have” confidence, it is easy for him to help us, and he willingly does it. In our weakness, then, we should go to God our Saviour; and though we have no strength, yet “he” can aid us, and he will make all things easy for us.

Mark 9:24

Said with tears - The man felt the implied rebuke in the Saviour’s language; and feeling grieved that he should be thought to be destitute of faith, and feeling deeply for the welfare of his afflicted son, he wept. Nothing can be more touching or natural than this. An anxious father, distressed at the condition of his son, having applied to the disciples in vain, now coming to the Saviour; and not having full confidence that he had the proper qualification to be aided, he wept. Any man would have wept in his condition, nor would the Saviour turn the weeping suppliant away.

I believe - I have faith. I do put confidence in thee, though I know that my faith is not as strong as it should be.

Lord - This word here signifies merely “master,” or “sir,” as it does often in the New Testament. We have no evidence that he had any knowledge of the divine nature of the Saviour, and he applied the word, probably, as he would have done to any other teacher or worker of miracles.

Help thou mine unbelief - Supply thou the defects of my faith. Give me strength and grace to put “entire” confidence in thee. Everyone who comes to the Saviour for help has need of offering this prayer. In our unbelief and our doubts we need his aid, nor shall we ever put sufficient reliance on him without his gracious help.