Mark 9 31

Mark 9:31 kjv

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 9:31 nkjv

For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."

Mark 9:31 niv

because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."

Mark 9:31 esv

for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

Mark 9:31 nlt

for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead."

Mark 9 verses

Mark 9 31 Meaning

Mark 9:31 communicates a profound and essential teaching from Jesus to His disciples concerning His imminent suffering, death, and resurrection. He reveals that He, as the Son of Man, will be "delivered into the hands of men" (betrayal), subsequently "killed" (death by execution), and then "after three days rise again" (resurrection). This concise statement is a core prophetic summary of the Gospel message.

Mark 9 31 Context

Mark 9:31 is the second of Jesus' three clear passion predictions in Mark's Gospel (the others being 8:31 and 10:33-34). It follows immediately after the profound event of the Transfiguration (Mk 9:2-8), where Jesus' divine glory was spectacularly revealed to Peter, James, and John. This sudden shift from divine radiance to a somber prophecy of suffering and death is highly significant, emphasizing the central paradox of Jesus' Messiahship – that glory would come through suffering.

Despite witnessing the Transfiguration and the successful casting out of a demon that the other disciples failed to expel (Mk 9:14-29), the disciples' understanding remains deeply flawed. This prophecy directly confronts their Jewish expectations of a conquering, political Messiah, which was prevalent in the historical and cultural context of Roman occupation. Their subsequent argument about who was greatest (Mk 9:33-34) immediately after this prophecy highlights their utter failure to grasp Jesus' teachings on servanthood and sacrifice. This repeated prophecy also serves as an indirect polemic against common human wisdom that glorifies power and worldly success, instead affirming divine wisdom which centers on self-sacrificial love leading to ultimate victory.

Mark 9 31 Word analysis

• For he taught (ἔδιδάσχεν γὰρ):

  • ἔδιδάσχεν (edidasken): Imperfect tense of διδάσκω (didaskō), "to teach." Implies ongoing, habitual, or repeated action. Not a one-time declaration, but a consistent, deliberate instruction.
  • Significance: Jesus repeatedly impressed this truth upon His disciples, indicating its critical importance and their deep-seated resistance to it.

• his disciples (τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ):

  • Significance: This teaching was specifically for His inner circle, those called to understand and carry on His mission. Yet, they consistently struggled with it.

• and said to them (καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς):

  • Significance: Highlights direct, personal communication.

• “The Son of Man (Ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου):

  • Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου (Huios tou Anthropou): Jesus' most frequent self-designation in the Gospels.
  • Meaning/Origin: Literally "Son of humanity." Rooted in Dan 7:13-14, where a divine-like figure comes to receive eternal dominion.
  • Significance: It emphasizes both His true humanity and His transcendent, divine authority and destiny. It implicitly refers to His future glory, which is here starkly contrasted with His suffering. By using this title, Jesus claims His identity as the messianic figure, but redefines Messiahship to include suffering.

• is delivered into (παραδίδοται εἰς):

  • παραδίδοται (paradídotai): Present passive of παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi), "to hand over, deliver up, betray."
  • Significance: The passive voice can imply divine ordination (He will be delivered, according to God's plan) while still allowing for human agency (e.g., Judas, the Jewish leaders, Pilate). It highlights His intentional submission and vulnerability. It suggests an act of betrayal or official handing over.

• the hands of men (ἀνθρώπων χεῖρας):

  • Significance: Specifies the agents of His suffering – humanity. This is a crucial detail, distinguishing the divine plan from human responsibility. It also contrasts His divine nature as Son of Man with the physical, mortal hands that would inflict violence. It underlines the extent of His humble submission.

• and they will kill him (καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν):

  • ἀποκτενοῦσιν (apoktenousin): Future active of ἀποκτείνω (apokteinō), "to kill."
  • Significance: A clear, unambiguous statement of violent death. This directly counters any idea of a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom without personal suffering. It speaks of a decisive and deliberate act of execution.

• and after three days (καὶ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας):

  • μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας (meta treis hēmeras): "after three days."
  • Significance: While seemingly precise, scripturally "after three days" (e.g., Mk 8:31) or "in three days" (e.g., Jn 2:19) are interchangeable with "on the third day" (e.g., Lk 24:46, 1 Cor 15:4). This phrasing consistently points to the brief period between His death and resurrection, emphasizing the rapid turnaround from deepest despair to triumph. It is not literally a full 72 hours.

• he will rise again (ἀναστήσεται):

  • ἀναστήσεται (anastēsetai): Future active of ἀνίστημι (anistēmi), "to rise, stand up."
  • Significance: The absolute prediction of resurrection. This is the culminating and triumphant point of the prophecy, rendering His death not a defeat but a victory. It reveals the full scope of God's plan and offers hope beyond the crucifixion. It emphasizes divine agency in raising Him, even though the verb is active for Jesus (He will rise), reflecting His divine power as well.

Words-group by Words-group analysis

• "The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him": This phrase encapsulates both the passive reception of suffering by Jesus (divine ordination) and the active, intentional malice of human beings leading to His death. It speaks to the mystery of God's sovereign plan working through the sinful choices of men.
• "and after three days he will rise again": This vital addition transforms the prophecy of suffering into a prophecy of ultimate victory and triumph. It provides the divine counterpoint to human malevolence and ensures that His death is not a finality but a passage to resurrection. Without this promise, His death would be perceived as a tragic end rather than a salvific event. This statement lays the foundation for Christian hope.

Mark 9 31 Bonus section

The phrase "after three days" (μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας) in Mark is often seen as interchangeable with "on the third day" (τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ) found in other Gospel accounts (e.g., Matt 16:21, Lk 24:7, 46). Early rabbinic tradition and everyday Semitic idioms allowed for such phrasing where any part of the first and third day, with a full second day in between, would qualify as "three days." This usage prevents a forced literalistic interpretation of 72 hours, ensuring theological consistency with the Gospel narratives and Pauline teaching (1 Cor 15:4) of Jesus rising on the third day. This specific phrasing emphasizes the completion of the designated time frame, marking the definitive moment of reversal.

Mark 9 31 Commentary

Mark 9:31 stands as a pivotal verse, embedding the core message of the Gospel firmly within Jesus' own teachings. This is the second instance of Jesus clearly articulating His path of suffering, death, and resurrection, signaling its absolute necessity for understanding His messianic identity. Despite the miraculous display of the Transfiguration shortly before, the disciples struggled profoundly to comprehend this divine paradox. Their prevailing understanding of the Messiah as a conquering king blinded them to the path of humiliation and self-sacrifice.

This prophecy highlights God's pre-ordained plan where the "Son of Man" — a figure of ultimate glory and authority — must first endure being "delivered into the hands of men" and suffer a violent death. Yet, the despair of crucifixion is immediately superseded by the triumphant promise of resurrection "after three days." This not only predicts historical events but establishes the foundation of salvation history: atonement through His death and victory over death through His resurrection. The consistent inability of the disciples to grasp this truth underlines humanity's tendency to reject divine wisdom that deviates from worldly expectations of power and glory. The path to true exaltation, as exemplified by Christ, lies through suffering and humble service.