Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?”
Parallel translations
- WEB He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
- KJV And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
- BSB Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”
- NASB They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them: “What were you discussing on the way?”
- NLT After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?”
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
Back in Capernaum, Jesus asks what the disciples were arguing about on the road. His question gently exposes a heart problem they would rather hide.
Overview
Knowing their dispute, Jesus probes them so the issue can be brought into the light and corrected. The setting "in the house" signals private, formative teaching for the Twelve. This moment sets up Jesus' reversal of worldly notions of greatness, contrasting their ambition with his path of self-giving service.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 18:1–5In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
- Heb 4:13There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
- Luke 9:46–48There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.
- John 21:17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
- John 2:25and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
- Rev 2:23I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
- Ps 139:1–4For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.
- Matt 17:24When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?”
- Mark 2:8Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts?
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 9:33 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.