But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Parallel translations
- WEB But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest.
- BSB But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.
- NKJV But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.
- NASB But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.
- NLT But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.
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
The disciples are silent because they had argued about who was greatest. Their shame reveals how out of step their ambition was with Jesus' coming sacrifice.
Overview
Just after Jesus predicted his death, the disciples quarreled over rank, a jarring contrast Mark sets deliberately. Their silence betrays a guilty conscience. The episode shows how deeply self-promotion grips the human heart, and prepares the way for Jesus to redefine greatness as humble service modeled supremely in himself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Mark 9:50Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
- Luke 9:46–48Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
- Luke 22:24–30And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
- Phil 2:3–7Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
- 3 Jn 1:9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
- Rom 12:10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
- 1 Pet 5:3Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
- Matt 20:21–24And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
- Matt 18:1–5At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
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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 9:34 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.