Mark 9 · Verse 20

Mark 9:20

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.
Mark 9:20, King James Version

Mark 9:20 in other translations

BSBSo 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.
WEBThey 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.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand 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.
DARBYAnd they brought him to him. And seeing him the spirit immediately tore him; and falling upon the earth he rolled foaming.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd they brought him to him: and when he saw him, immediately the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed, foaming.

What does Mark 9:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him--Just as the man with the legion of demons, "when he saw Jesus, ran and worshipped Him" (Mr 5:6), so this demon, when he saw Him, immediately "tare him." The feeling of terror and rage was the same in both cases. and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming--Still Jesus does nothing, but keeps conversing with the father about the case--partly to have its desperate features told out by him who knew them best, in the hearing of the spectators; partly to let its virulence have time to show itself; and partly to deepen the exercise of the father's soul, to draw out his faith, and thus to prepare both him and the by-standers for what He was to do.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 When he saw him the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, etc. - When this demon saw Jesus, he had great rage, knowing that his time was short; and hence the extraordinary convulsions mentioned above.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 9:14-29

The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look…

Read the full comment on Mark 9:14-29 →

Mark 9:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἤνεγκανēnegkanthey broughtG5342
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
πρὸςprostoG4314
αὐτόν.autonHim.G846
καὶkaiAndG2532
ἰδὼνidōnhaving seenG1492
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
τὸtotheG3588
πνεῦμαpneumaspiritG4151
εὐθὺςeuthusimmediatelyG2112
συνεσπάραξενsunesparaxenthrew into convulsionsG4952
αὐτόν,autonhim,G846
καὶkaiandG2532
πεσὼνpesōnhaving fallenG4098
ἐπὶepiuponG1909
τῆςtēstheG3588
γῆςgēsgroundG1093
ἐκυλίετοekulietohe was rolling aroundG2947
ἀφρίζων.aphrizōnfoaming.G875

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 9:20

  • Mark 1:26

    And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

  • Luke 4:35

    And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

  • 1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  • Luke 9:42

    And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

  • Mark 9:26

    And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

  • Mark 9:18

    And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • Job 2:6-8

    And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

  • Mark 5:3-5

    Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

  • Luke 8:29

    (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

  • Job 1:10-12

    Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the spirit.
18,26; 1:26; 5:3-5; Job 1:10-12; 2:6-8; Lu 4:35; 8:29; 9:42; Joh 8:44
1Pe 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 9:19

    He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

  • Mark 9:20

    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.

  • Mark 9:21

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

Read all of Mark 9

Mark 9:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y se le trajeron: y como le vió, luego el espíritu le desgarraba; y cayendo en tierra, se revolcaba, echando espumarajos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils le lui amenèrent; et quand il l’eut vu, aussitôt l’esprit le déchira; et l’enfant, tombant à terre, se roulait en écumant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie brachten ihn zu ihm. Und als er ihn sah, zerrte ihn alsbald der Geist; und er fiel zur Erde und wälzte sich schäumend.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et interrogavit patrem ejus: Quantum temporis est ex quo ei hoc accidit? At ille ait: Ab infantia: