Mark 9 23

Mark 9:23 kjv

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

Mark 9:23 nkjv

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Mark 9:23 niv

"?'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."

Mark 9:23 esv

And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes."

Mark 9:23 nlt

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."

Mark 9 verses

Mark 9 23 Meaning

Mark 9:23 declares that for the one who believes, all things are possible. This statement from Jesus directly addresses a father's plea, transforming a human-centered "if you can" into a divine truth that the scope of what can be accomplished is limited not by Christ's ability, but by the presence or absence of belief in the one seeking intervention. It emphasizes that the true power lies with God, activated through sincere faith.

Mark 9 23 Context

Mark 9:23 is spoken by Jesus to a desperate father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples, who were unable to cast out the demon (Mark 9:14-18). The father expresses his deep doubt and desperation to Jesus, saying, "If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us" (Mark 9:22). Jesus' response in Mark 9:23 is a direct challenge to the father's "if you can," shifting the focus from a question of Jesus' ability to a question of human belief.

This episode occurs shortly after the Transfiguration, where Jesus' divine glory was revealed, and his subsequent descent from the mountain to find His disciples failing to heal the boy. The larger chapter theme includes discussions of Jesus' suffering and resurrection, humility, and the spiritual struggles that can arise from lack of faith or true understanding among even those closest to Jesus. The event highlights a stark contrast between divine power available through faith and the impotence that results from unbelief, affecting both the disciples and the boy's father.

Mark 9 23 Word analysis

• "And Jesus" (καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς - kai ho Iēsous):

  • And: Connects this statement to the preceding plea of the father.
  • Jesus: The divine Son of God, the speaker, whose authority and power are limitless. His identity grounds the truth of the statement.

• "said to him" (εἶπεν αὐτῷ - eipen autō):

  • said: An authoritative declaration, not a question.
  • to him: Directed at the desperate father, addressing his specific lack of belief and redirecting his focus.

• "If you can!" (Τὸ Εἰ δύνῃ - To Ei dynē):

  • If you can: This is Jesus rhetorically echoing the father's own words from Mark 9:22, "If you can do anything, have compassion on us." It's not Jesus doubting His own ability, but turning the father's conditional phrase back upon him.
  • It serves as a gentle rebuke or challenge to the father's presupposition of limitation on Jesus' power. This also served as a direct polemic against the contemporary beliefs that some diseases or conditions were beyond healing, or that spiritual power was inherently limited. Jesus dismantles such notions, pointing to the limitless divine power available through belief.

• "All things" (πάντα - panta):

  • All things: Implies limitless possibilities within God's will and purpose. This is a comprehensive term, encompassing all difficulties, illnesses, spiritual bonds, and humanly impossible situations.
  • However, "all things" should be understood biblically within the framework of God's character, sovereignty, and wise purposes. It does not suggest a blank check for human desires outside of God's will, but rather the full extent of divine power that works in response to faith, often leading to spiritual healing or overcoming impossible situations in His plan.

• "are possible" (δυνατὰ - dynata):

  • possible: Capable of being accomplished, powerful, strong. This signifies divine ability, contrasting with human weakness or impossibility. The term emphasizes God's omnipotence.

• "for one who believes" (τῷ πιστεύοντι - tō pisteuonti):

  • for one who believes: This phrase acts as a dative of advantage, indicating the beneficiary. The ability ("all things are possible") is not inherent in the person, but it becomes applicable to the one who has faith.
  • The participle (pisteuonti) is in the present tense, emphasizing ongoing, active belief, not a one-time intellectual assent.
  • This condition shifts the locus of possibility from the divine ability itself (which is always absolute) to the human heart's receptivity to that divine ability through faith. It is not that belief creates the possibility, but that it unlocks access to God's inherent omnipotence.

Mark 9 23 Bonus section

The broader narrative surrounding Mark 9:23 illustrates a profound theological truth about faith and power dynamics within the Kingdom of God. Not only does Jesus address the father's unbelief, but earlier in the passage, the disciples themselves failed to cast out the demon. Later, Jesus clarifies to them privately that "this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer" (Mark 9:29). This suggests that some spiritual strongholds require a deeper level of consecrated faith and dependence on God through prayer, extending beyond simple intellectual assent or mechanical application of authority. Thus, "all things are possible for one who believes" does not imply automatic gratification of every desire, but refers to the range of divine power that can be released when one is fully trusting in God and His purposes, often requiring perseverance in prayer. It challenges both the limitations human doubt places on God and the spiritual immaturity that might lead to an assumption of ease in exercising divine power without genuine dependence.

Mark 9 23 Commentary

Mark 9:23 is a profound statement from Jesus, acting as a pivotal truth for the desperate father and for all who struggle with unbelief. Jesus turns the father's questioning of His ability ("If you can...") into a direct challenge to the father's own faith. The verse clearly establishes that divine power is unconstrained, and the only limiting factor on human experience of that power is the presence or absence of belief. "All things are possible" means that no human predicament, sickness, or spiritual bondage is beyond God's capacity when approached with genuine faith. This isn't about human willpower or self-exertion, but about a trust in God's absolute power and willingness. The father's immediate and honest response ("I believe; help my unbelief!" - Mk 9:24) illustrates the very human tension between conviction and doubt, revealing that even a struggling, imperfect faith can be met by Christ's compassion and power. The true potential lies in aligning one's heart with God's limitless power through faith.

• Example 1: A person facing an incurable disease prays with the understanding that for God, even a miraculous cure is possible if it aligns with His perfect will.
• Example 2: A community struggling with deep-seated social issues believes that spiritual revival and reconciliation are possible through God's intervention, despite historical divisions.