Mark 9 · Verse 32

Mark 9:32

But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Mark 9:32, King James Version

Mark 9:32 in other translations

BSBBut they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
WEBBut they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
ASVBut they understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
YLTbut they were not understanding the saying, and they were afraid to question him.
DARBYBut they understood not the saying, and feared to ask him.
BBEBut the saying was not clear to them, and they were in fear of questioning him about it.
WebsterBut they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

What does Mark 9:32 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
32. But they understood not that saying--"and it was hid from them, [so] that they preceived it not" (Lu 9:45). and were afraid to ask him--Their most cherished ideas were so completely dashed by such announcements, that they were afraid of laying themselves open to rebuke by asking Him any questions. But "they were exceeding sorry" (Mt 17:23). While the other Evangelists, as Webster and Wilkinson remark, notice their ignorance and their fear, Matthew, who was one of them, retains a vivid recollection of their sorrow.

Mr 9:33-50. Strife among the Twelve Who Should Be Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, with Relative Teaching--Incidental Rebuke of John for Exclusiveness. ( = Mt 18:1-9; Lu 9:46-50).

Strife among the Twelve, with Relative Teaching (Mr 9:33-37).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 32.

(n) "ask him" Jn 16:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 32 But they understood not - This whole verse is wanting in two MSS., in the first edition of Erasmus, and in that of Aldus. Mill approves of the omission. It does not appear likely, from Matthew's account, that three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John, could be ignorant of the reasons of Christ's death and resurrection, after the transfiguration; on the contrary, from the circumstances there related, it is very probable that from that time they must have had at least a general understanding of this important subject; but the other nine might have been ignorant of this matter, who were not present at the transfiguration; probably it is of these that the evangelist speaks here. See the observations on the transfiguration, Mat 17:9 (note), etc., and Mat 18:1 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 9:30-40

The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it…

Read the full comment on Mark 9:30-40 →

Mark 9:32 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.

οἱhoi<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἠγνόουνēgnoounthey were not understandingG50
τὸtotheG3588
ῥῆμαrhēmadeclarationG4487
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐφοβοῦντοephobountothey were afraidG5399
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
ἐπερωτῆσαι.¶eperōtēsaito ask.G1905

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

Cross references for Mark 9:32

  • Luke 18:34

    And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

  • John 16:19

    Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

  • Luke 9:45

    But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

  • Luke 2:50

    And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

  • John 12:16

    These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

  • Mark 9:10

    And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

  • John 4:27

    And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

  • Mark 16:14

    Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

  • Mark 8:17-18

    And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

  • Mark 7:18

    And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

  • Mark 8:33

    But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

  • Luke 24:45

    Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they.
10; Lu 2:50; 9:45; 18:34; 24:45
were.
7:18; 8:17,18,33; 16:14; Joh 4:27; 16:19

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

Context

  • Mark 9:31

    For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

  • Mark 9:32

    But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

  • Mark 9:33

    And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

Read all of Mark 9

Mark 9:32 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Pero ellos no entendían esta palabra, y tenían miedo de preguntarle.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais ils ne comprenaient pas ce discours, et ils craignaient de l’interroger.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Sie aber verstanden die Rede nicht und fürchteten sich, ihn zu fragen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et venerunt Capharnaum. Qui cum domi essent, interrogabat eos: Quid in via tractabatis?