Mark 9:21 kjv
And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
Mark 9:21 nkjv
So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
Mark 9:21 niv
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
Mark 9:21 esv
And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
Mark 9:21 nlt
"How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was a little boy.
Mark 9 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 9:18 | "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth... | Precedes Jesus' inquiry; highlights severity. |
| Mt 17:15 | "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers severely... | Parallel account, emphasizes child's suffering. |
| Lk 9:38-39 | "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child... throws him down... foam at the mouth..." | Parallel account, only child, severe attack. |
| Jn 9:1-2 | "As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned... that he was born blind?'" | Jesus asks questions about long-standing conditions. |
| Mk 5:2-5 | "And when he came out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit... no one was able to bind him..." | Similar severe, long-term demonic affliction. |
| Lk 13:11 | "And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over..." | Example of long-term suffering Jesus addresses. |
| Jn 5:5 | "One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years." | Chronic physical suffering before healing. |
| Acts 3:2 | "And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple..." | Example of congenital/long-term physical ailment. |
| Mk 1:23-26 | "And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit... The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him." | Demonic expulsion with violent physical manifestation. |
| Mk 5:9 | "And Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' He replied, 'My name is Legion...'" | Jesus asks questions of demoniacs for purposes. |
| Mk 8:27-29 | "Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that I am?'" | Jesus' questions elicit understanding/testimony. |
| Dt 8:2 | "And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart..." | God's process can involve prolonged situations. |
| Ex 3:7-8 | "Then the Lord said, 'I have surely seen the affliction of my people... and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters... I have come down to deliver them...'" | God hears about chronic suffering and acts. |
| Ps 77:7 | "Will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favorable no more?" | Questions reflecting prolonged distress/despair. |
| Is 38:17 | "Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction..." | God intervenes after a period of bitter suffering. |
| Job 2:7-8 | "So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head..." | Intense, prolonged, debilitating suffering inflicted. |
| Mt 17:19-20 | "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' He said to them, 'Because of your little faith... this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.'" | Explains why disciples failed to address chronic issue. |
| Mk 9:23 | "And Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible for one who believes.'" | Follow-up on father's statement of "if you can." |
| Lk 8:43-48 | "And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and had spent all her living on physicians... and could not be healed by anyone... Jesus said... Your faith has made you well..." | Long-term chronic illness healed by faith. |
| 1 Pet 5:8-9 | "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him..." | Spiritual struggle and ongoing opposition. |
| Rev 20:2-3 | "And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years..." | Depicts the power and eventual restraint of the ancient enemy. |
Mark 9 verses
Mark 9 21 Meaning
Mark 9:21 details Jesus' compassionate inquiry to the demon-possessed boy's father, asking about the duration of the child's affliction. This question, "How long is it since this came to him?", serves not to gain information for Himself, as if He were unaware, but to draw out the severe, chronic nature of the suffering, to highlight the depth of the demonic oppression, and to set the stage for a profound act of divine healing and a teaching moment for the observers and disciples about faith and prayer. The father's immediate response reveals the torment had persisted "from childhood," underscoring the long-term devastation caused by the demonic spirit.
Mark 9 21 Context
Mark 9:21 occurs immediately after Jesus and His three closest disciples descend from the Mount of Transfiguration (Mk 9:2-8). They return to find the other disciples in a commotion, unable to cast out a demon from a young boy. The scribes are disputing with the disciples, likely mocking their inability (Mk 9:14-16). The boy's father, in despair, approaches Jesus and describes his son's severe suffering: a spirit that causes seizures, mute paralysis, foaming at the mouth, grinding teeth, and rigid limbs, throwing him into fire and water (Mk 9:17-18). It is after this initial plea that Jesus, witnessing the distress and the chronic nature of the condition, addresses the father with this specific inquiry, deepening the public understanding of the severity and history of the demonic oppression before the powerful demonstration of His authority.
Mark 9 21 Word analysis
And he asked: (Greek: kai epērōtēsen - καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν). Epērōtēsen is an aorist active indicative form of the verb eperotao (ἐπερωτάω), meaning "to ask, inquire of, question." Jesus' act of asking here is not out of ignorance but serves to involve the father more deeply, confirm the desperate circumstances for those present, and highlight the severity of the demonic activity before a miraculous intervention. It emphasizes a deliberate, compassionate engagement rather than an immediate, detached command.
his father: The direct address to the father reinforces his role as the intercessor and validates his plea. It focuses the interaction on the primary concerned party who has lived with this prolonged torment.
How long is it ago: (Greek: posos chronos estin - πόσος χρόνος ἐστίν). Posos means "how much, how long." Chronos (χρόνος) refers to "time," particularly a duration or period of time, distinct from kairos (καιρός) which means a significant or opportune time. This phrase specifically seeks to establish the temporal length of the suffering, emphasizing its chronic and enduring nature. This sets the magnitude of the problem.
since this came: (Greek: ap' hou touto autō egeneto - ἀφ᾽ οὗ τοῦτο αὐτῷ ἐγένετο). Ap' hou means "since when," denoting a point in time from which something originated. Egeneto is the aorist passive indicative of ginomai (γίνομαι), "to come into being, happen, become." The phrase highlights the origin and continued existence of the demonic affliction in the child's life, not just a recent occurrence.
to him: Refers to the son, clarifying the object of the torment.
And he said: (Greek: Ho de eipen - Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν). A simple, direct reply from the father.
From childhood: (Greek: ek paidiothos - ἐκ παιδιόθεν). Ek (ἐκ) means "from, out of." Paidiothos (παιδιόθεν) means "from childhood," indicating the onset of the affliction during very early years. This specific detail intensifies the tragedy; the demon had controlled the child's entire developing life, impeding normal growth and development. It also shows the long-suffering of the family and implies an inability for ordinary or even professional help to bring relief for so many years.
How long is it ago since this came to him? And he said, "From childhood.": This exchange emphasizes the profound and protracted nature of the suffering. Jesus' question about the duration not only highlights the chronic and seemingly incurable condition, setting the stage for a dramatic display of divine power, but it also provides a poignant testimony from the father about the relentless oppression, revealing the devastating impact of the demonic on a vulnerable life. It draws attention to a struggle that had gone on for a lifetime, leaving little hope for the father before Christ's intervention.
Mark 9 21 Bonus section
Jesus' inquiry about the duration of the child's suffering underscores a pattern in His ministry where He often asks questions not because of ignorance, but to reveal truths, solicit confessions, evoke faith, or provide teaching. In this specific case, revealing the "from childhood" detail amplifies the depth of the spiritual problem—it was not a new or minor affliction, but one that had shaped the child's entire existence. This prefaces the extreme violence of the demon's final struggle upon confrontation with Jesus, highlighting the strength of the demonic grip and setting up the contrast with Jesus' complete authority. The longevity of the suffering also likely contributed to the disciples' inability to cast out the demon, implying a 'kind' of spirit that required greater spiritual authority and discipline (as later clarified in Mark 9:29 regarding prayer and fasting).
Mark 9 21 Commentary
Mark 9:21 is a pivotal moment in the narrative of the healing of the demon-possessed boy. Jesus' question, seemingly superfluous given His divine knowledge, is intensely practical and serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it draws out the critical detail that the suffering has been prolonged "from childhood." This information amplifies the tragedy, emphasizes the deep-seated nature of the demonic hold, and makes the subsequent miracle even more extraordinary. For the Jewish audience, such a lifelong affliction would be particularly poignant. Secondly, the question provides a space for the father to voice the depth of his despair and the long duration of his struggle, confirming the severity to those present and building anticipation for Jesus' intervention. Thirdly, it sets a pedagogical example for the disciples, illustrating the need for thorough understanding of a problem's context, even when performing acts of deliverance. This patient engagement contrasts sharply with the disciples' prior failure and hints at the deeper spiritual battle that cannot be overcome by superficial efforts, but by persistent faith and understanding of the enemy's long-term strongholds.