Mark 9:20

Revised Standard Version

And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

King James Version (1611)
And they brought him vnto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him, and he fel on the ground, and wallowed, foming.

King James Version
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

English Standard Version
And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

New American Standard Bible
And 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.

New Century Version
So the followers brought him to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it made the boy lose control of himself, and he fell down and rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

Amplified Bible
They brought the boy to Him. When the [demonic] spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion, and falling to the ground he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around, foaming at the mouth.

Berean Standard Bible
So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Contemporary English Version
They brought the boy, and as soon as the demon saw Jesus, it made the boy shake all over. He fell down and began rolling on the ground and foaming at the mouth.

Complete Jewish Bible
They brought the boy to him; and as soon as the spirit saw him, it threw the boy into a convulsion.

Darby Translation
And they brought him to him. And seeing him the spirit immediately tore him; and falling upon the earth he rolled foaming.

Easy-to-Read Version
So the followers brought the boy to Jesus. When the evil spirit saw Jesus, it attacked the boy. The boy fell down and rolled on the ground. He was foaming at the mouth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
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.

George Lamsa Translation
And they brought the boy to Jesus; and when the spirit seized him, it immediately troubled him; and he fell on the ground, gasping and foaming.

Good News Translation
They brought him to Jesus. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit, so that he fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Lexham English Bible
And they brought him to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately convulsed him, and falling on the ground, he began to roll around, foaming at the mouth.

Literal Translation
And they brought him to Him. And seeing Him, the spirit immediately convulsed him. And falling on the ground, he wallowed, foaming.

American Standard Version
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

Bible in Basic English
And they took him to him: and when he saw him, the spirit in him straight away became violent; and he went down on the earth, rolling about and streaming at the lips.

Hebrew Names Version
They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.

International Standard Version
So they brought the boyhim">[fn] to him. When the spirit saw Jesus,him">[fn] it immediately threw the boyhim">[fn] into convulsions. He fell on the ground and kept rolling around and foaming at the mouth.Mark 1:26; Luke 9:42;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And they brought him unto him: and when the spirit saw him, he immediately dashed him, and he fell upon the ground; and was convulsed, and was torn.

Murdock Translation
And they brought him to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately he shook him; and he fell upon the ground, and wallowed and foamed.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they brought him vnto him: And when he sawe hym, strayghtway the spirite tare hym: And he fell downe on the grounde, wallowyng and fomyng.

English Revised Version
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

World English Bible
They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
How long shall I suffer you? Bring him to me. And they brought him to him. And when he saw him, immediately the spirit tore him, and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

Weymouth's New Testament
So they brought him to Jesus. And the spirit, when he saw Jesus, immediately threw the youth into convulsions, so that he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei brouyten hym. And whanne he had seyn him, anoon the spirit troublide him; and was throw doun to grounde, and walewide, and fomede.

Update Bible Version
And they brought him to him: and when he saw him, immediately the spirit tore him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they brought him to him: and when he saw him, immediately the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed, foaming.

New English Translation
So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

New Life Bible
They brought the boy to Jesus. The demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power. The boy fell to the ground with spit running from his mouth.

New Revised Standard
And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they brought him unto him. And, seeing him, the spirit, straightway tare him, - and, falling upon the ground, he wallowed, foaming.

Douay-Rheims Bible
(9-19) And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit troubled him and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled about foaming.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And they brought him vnto him. And assone as ye sprete sawe him he tare him. And he fell doune on the grounde walowinge and fomynge.

Young's Literal Translation
and they brought him unto him, and he having seen him, immediately the spirit tare him, and he, having fallen upon the earth, was wallowing -- foaming.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And they brought him vnto him. And as soone as the sprete sawe him, he tare him, and fell vpon the earth, and weltred and fomed.

Mace New Testament (1729)
so he was brought to him, and as soon as he saw him, the spirit threw him into convulsions, and he fell upon the ground, where he wallowed foaming.

Simplified Cowboy Version
They brought the boy over and when the devil inside him saw Jesus, it threw the boy on the ground in a violent seizure. The boy was foaming and frothing at the mouth like a rabid coyote.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about them, and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶ And he asked them, "What are you discussing with them?" ¹⁷ And one of the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; ¹⁸ and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." ¹⁹ And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." ²⁰ And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. ²² And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." ²³ And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the spirit: Mark 9:18, Mark 9:26, Mark 1:26, Mark 5:3-5, Job 1:10-12, Job 2:6-8, Luke 4:35, Luke 8:29, Luke 9:42, John 8:44, 1 Peter 5:8

Reciprocal: Matthew 17:15 - for Luke 9:39 - lo

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 4:2
And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.

Genesis 5:29
and called his name Noah, saying, "Out of the ground which the LORD has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands."

Genesis 9:18
The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan.

Genesis 9:19
These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.

Genesis 9:24
When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him,

Genesis 9:26
He also said, "Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave."

Deuteronomy 20:6
And what man is there that has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit.

Deuteronomy 28:30
You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her; you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, and you shall not use the fruit of it.

Proverbs 10:11
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they brought him unto him,.... The father of the child, and those that were with him, brought the child to Jesus, into his presence, before him:

and when he saw him, that is, either when Jesus saw the child, or the child saw Jesus; or the evil spirit in him, and by him which were all at once:

straightway the spirit tare him; threw him into a violent fit, shook him, and convulsed him in a dreadful manner; knowing his time was short, and being filled with indignation and rage, that he should be obliged, as he knew he must, to leave the child very speedily; and was therefore resolved to do all the mischief, and put him to all the pain he could:

and he fell on the ground; at the feet of Jesus, not being able to stand, through the violent motions and convulsions he threw him into:

and wallowed, foaming; rolled about from side to side, foaming at the mouth, and in the most exquisite rack and torture.

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. When he saw him the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, c.] When this demon saw Jesus, he had great rage, knowing that his time was short and hence the extraordinary convulsions mentioned above.