And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
Parallel translations
- WEB When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”
- BSB After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
- NKJV And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
- NASB When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why is it that we could not cast it out?”
- NLT Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Privately, the disciples ask Jesus why they failed to cast out the demon. It matters because it exposes their reliance on technique rather than on God.
Overview
After the public deliverance, the Twelve seek a private explanation for their earlier inability (9:18). Their question is honest and teachable rather than defensive. Jesus uses it to redirect them from their own power to dependence on God, a lesson that points beyond themselves to the One in whom all authority resides.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Matt 17:19–20Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
- Matt 13:36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
- Mark 7:17And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
- Mark 4:10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
- Matt 15:15Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.
- Mark 4:34But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
- Matt 13:10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 9:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.