Mark 9 · Verse 23

Mark 9:23

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:23, King James Version

Mark 9:23 in other translations

BSB“If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!”
WEBJesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
ASVAnd Jesus said unto him, If thou canst! All things are possible to him that believeth.
YLTAnd Jesus said to him, ‘If thou art able to believe! all things are possible to the one that is believing;'
DARBYAnd Jesus said to him, The 'if thou couldst' is if thou couldst believe: all things are possible to him that believes.
BBEAnd Jesus said to him, If you are able! All things are possible to him who has faith.
WebsterJesus said to him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

What does Mark 9:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe--The man had said, "If Thou canst do anything." Jesus replies. all things are possible to him that believeth--"My doing all depends on thy believing." To impress this still more, He redoubles upon the believing: "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Thus the Lord helps the birth of faith in that struggling soul; and now, though with pain and sore travail, it comes to the birth, as Trench, borrowing from Olshausen, expresses it. Seeing the case stood still, waiting not upon the Lord's power but his own faith, the man becomes immediately conscious of conflicting principles, and rises into one of the noblest utterances on record.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 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. 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 favour of him that believes; and if thou canst believe, this will be done. God will do nothing in our favour 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.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 If Thou canst Believe - This was an answer to the inquiry above. I can furnish a sufficiency of power, if thou canst but bring faith to receive it. Why are not our souls completely healed? Why is not every demon cast out? Why are not pride, self-will, love of the world, lust, anger, peevishness, with all the other bad tempers and dispositions which constitute the mind of Satan, entirely destroyed? Alas! it is because we do not believe; Jesus is able; more, Jesus is willing; but we are not willing to give up our idols; we give not credence to his word; therefore hath sin a being in us, and dominion over us.

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 9:23 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.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
αὐτῷ·autōto him;G846
τὸto<the>G3588
εἰeiIfG1487
δύνῃdunēYou are ableG1410
πιστεῦσαι,pisteusaito believeG4100
πάνταpantaAll thingsG3956
δυνατὰdunataare possibleG1415
τῷtōto the [one]G3588
πιστεύοντι.pisteuontibelieving.G4100

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

Cross references for Mark 9:23

  • John 11:40

    Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

  • Hebrews 11:6

    But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

  • Matthew 17:20

    And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

  • Mark 11:23

    For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

  • Matthew 21:21-22

    Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

  • Luke 17:6

    And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

  • 2 Chronicles 20:20

    And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

  • John 4:48-50

    Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

  • Acts 14:9

    The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If.
11:23; 2Ch 20:20; Mt 17:20; 21:21,22; Lu 17:6; Joh 4:48-50; 11:40
Ac 14:9; Heb 11:6

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

Context

  • Mark 9:22

    And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

  • Mark 9:23

    Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

  • Mark 9:24

    And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Read all of Mark 9

Mark 9:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jesús le dijo: Si puedes creer, al que cree todo es posible.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jésus lui dit: Le “Si tu peux”, c’est: Crois! toutes choses sont possibles à celui qui croit.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus aber sprach zu ihm: Das "wenn du kannst" ist, wenn du glauben kannst; dem Glaubenden ist alles möglich.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et continuo exclamans pater pueri, cum lacrimis aiebat: Credo, Domine; adjuva incredulitatem meam.