Mark 9:28

Revised Standard Version

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

King James Version (1611)
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him priuately, Why could not we cast him out?

King James Version
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

English Standard Version
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

New American Standard Bible
When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, "Why is it that we could not cast it out?"

New Century Version
When Jesus went into the house, his followers began asking him privately, "Why couldn't we force that evil spirit out?"

Amplified Bible
When He had gone indoors, His disciples began asking Him privately, "Why were we unable to drive it out?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, "Why could we not drive it out?"

Legacy Standard Bible
And when He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Berean Standard Bible
After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

Contemporary English Version
After Jesus and the disciples had gone back home and were alone, they asked him, "Why couldn't we force out that demon?"

Complete Jewish Bible
After Yeshua had gone indoors, his talmidim asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

Darby Translation
And when he was entered into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Wherefore could not *we* cast him out?

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Jesus went into the house. His followers were alone with him there. They said, "Why weren't we able to force that evil spirit out?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when hee was come into the house, his disciples asked him secretly, Why could not we cast him out?

George Lamsa Translation
When Jesus entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could we not cast it out?

Good News Translation
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive the spirit out?"

Lexham English Bible
And after he had entered into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why were we not able to expel it?"

Literal Translation
And He entering into a house, His disciples questioned Him privately, Why were we not able to cast it out?

American Standard Version
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, How is it that we could not cast it out?

Bible in Basic English
And when he had gone into the house, his disciples said to him privately, Why were we unable to send it out?

Hebrew Names Version
When he had come into the house, his talmidim asked him privately, "Why couldn't we cast it out?"

International Standard Version
When Jesushe">[fn] came home, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"Matthew 17:19;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But when Jeshu had gone into the house, his disciples inquired of him by themselves, Why could not we cast him out?

Murdock Translation
And when Jesus entered the house, his disciples asked him privately: Why could not we cast him out?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And whe he was come into the house, his disciples asked hym secretely: Why coulde not we cast hym out?

English Revised Version
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, saying, We could not cast it out.

World English Bible
When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we cast it out?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And when he was come into an house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

Weymouth's New Testament
After the return of Jesus to the house His disciples asked Him privately, "How is it that we could not expel the spirit?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he hadde entrid in to an hous, hise disciplis axiden hym priueli, Whi myyten not we caste hym out?

Update Bible Version
And when he came into the house, his disciples asked him privately, [How is it] that we could not cast it out?

Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

New English Translation
Then, after he went into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we cast it out?"

New King James Version
And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

New Living Translation
Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, "Why couldn't we cast out that evil spirit?"

New Life Bible
When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, "Why could we not put out the demon?"

New Revised Standard
When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when he had gone into a house, his disciples, privately, were questioning him - Why, were, we, not able to cast it out?

Douay-Rheims Bible
(9-27) And when he was come into the house, his disciples secretly asked him: Why could not we cast him out?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And when he was come into the housse his disciples axed him secretly: why coulde not we caste him out?

Young's Literal Translation
And he having come into the house, his disciples were questioning him by himself -- `Why were we not able to cast it forth?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan he came home, his disciples axed him secretly: Why coulde not we cast him out?

Mace New Testament (1729)
now when Jesus was retired to his own house, his disciples asked him in private, why could not we cast this spirit out?

THE MESSAGE
After arriving back home, his disciples cornered Jesus and asked, "Why couldn't we throw the demon out?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
Later, when Jesus was alone with his cowboys, they asked him, "Why couldn't we get rid of that demon?"

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

asked: Mark 4:10, Mark 4:34, Matthew 13:10, Matthew 13:36, Matthew 15:15

Why: Matthew 17:19, Matthew 17:20

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 20:10 - General Mark 9:18 - and they Mark 10:10 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he was come into the house,.... Perhaps into the man's house whose child he had healed, or into some other in these parts, for the sake both of retirement and refreshment:

his disciples asked him privately, why could not we cast him out? The nine disciples, who were particularly concerned in this matter, fearing they had lost the power of casting out devils, conferred upon them, inquired of Jesus, when he was alone, why they could not cast the demon out of the child, when they had ejected unclean spirits out of many others; :-.

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.