34
Butδὲtheyοἱwere silent;ἐσιώπωνforγὰρonἐνthe wayτῇ ὁδῷthey had arguedδιελέχθησανwithπρὸςone anotherἀλλήλουςabout whoτίςwasthe greatest.μείζων
Mark 9:34
Study it in the app“But they were silent; for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.”
With the Greek beneath
Mark 9:34, word by word
- were silentἐσιώπωνesiōpōn
be silent
Be silent, keep quiet.
Where else “esiōpōn” appears- the wayὁδῷhodōi
road
The route by which one goes from one place to another, or the trip itself.
Where else “hodōi” appears- they had arguedδιελέχθησανdielechthēsan
reason
To talk and debate with others about something.
Where else “dielechthēsan” appears- one anotherἀλλήλουςallēlous
one another
One another, each other.
Where else “allēlous” appears- the greatestμείζωνmeizōn
greater
Of greater importance or rank than the rest.
Where else “meizōn” appears
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
Who is the greatest?
See them side by side
Mark 9:33-37
33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house, he was asking them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they were silent; for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35And sitting down, he called the Twelve and says to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all.” 36And taking a child, he set it in the middle of them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one of such children in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives not me but the one who sent me.”
1At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And calling to him a child, he set him in their midst 3and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever then humbles himself like this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.
46And a reasoning arose among them as to which of them might be the greatest. 47But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their heart, took a child and set it beside himself, 48and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all, this one is great.”
The context
33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house, he was asking them, “What were you discussing on the way?”
34 · This verse (above)
35And sitting down, he called the Twelve and says to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all.”
To study Mark 9 in a group
1. What it says
What did the boy's father say to Jesus, and how did Jesus answer him (vv. 22–24)?
2. What it means
How does Jesus respond when the disciples argue about who is greatest (vv. 33–37)?
3. How I live it
The father said, “I believe; help my unbelief” (v. 24). What doubt of yours can you bring to him honestly?