Mark 9:21

New King James Version

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

Parallel Translations

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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;

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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he asked his father, How long time is it since he hath bin thus? And he said, Of a childe.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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;

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

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!"

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

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ Matthew 17:14-21; Luke 9:37-42">[xr] And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵ Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. ¹⁶ And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" ¹⁷ Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁸ And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." ¹⁹ He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." ²⁰ Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. ²² And often he has thrown 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, [fn] all things are possible to him who believes."

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
This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.

Genesis 9:4
But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

Genesis 9:15
and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Genesis 9:16
The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

Ecclesiastes 7:20
For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

Romans 13:13
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

1 Corinthians 10:12
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Galatians 5:21
envy, murders, [fn] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom 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.