Tolerance for Those Who Serve in Jesus' Name
Mark 9:38-41
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Mark.9.38 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Εφη: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιωαννης·Διδασκαλε: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειδομεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,pl
- τινα: PRON,acc,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ονοματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- εκβαλλοντα: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,sg,m
- δαιμονια: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- εκωλυομεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,1,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ηκολουθει: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
Parallels
- Luke 9:49-50 (verbal): Near-verbatim Synoptic parallel: the disciples report someone casting out demons in Jesus' name and trying to stop him because he does not follow them; Jesus replies 'whoever is not against you is for you.'
- Mark 3:22-27 (thematic): Similar theme of controversy over exorcisms and legitimate authority—people accuse Jesus (and his followers) regarding demonic activity and Jesus responds by defending the source and authority of his work.
- Matthew 12:27 (thematic): Jesus' argument that if others cast out demons, the activity points to the same power at work (used to rebut charges that his exorcisms come from Beelzebul), related to the issue of third parties casting out demons 'in Jesus' name.'
- Luke 11:23 (allusion): Contrasting but related saying about allegiance—'whoever is not with me is against me' (Luke 11:23) provides a counterpoint to Jesus' Markan/Lukan reply that 'whoever is not against you is for you,' highlighting boundaries of association and ministry.
- Acts 19:13-16 (thematic): Later example of others invoking Jesus' name to cast out demons (the Jewish exorcists using 'the name of the Lord Jesus'), showing the broader phenomenon of third parties employing Jesus' name in spiritual power and the varied outcomes.
Alternative generated candidates
- And John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us."
- And John said to him, 'Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and he was not following us, for he is not one of us.'
Mark.9.39 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν·Μη: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- κωλυετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ουδεις: PRON,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- ποιησει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- δυναμιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- επι: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ονοματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- δυνησεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- ταχυ: ADV
- κακολογησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- με·: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Luke 9:49-50 (quotation): Synoptic parallel: disciples report someone casting out demons in Jesus' name; Jesus tells them not to stop him—directly parallels Mark 9:38–40 and the defense of ministry done 'in my name.'
- Mark 9:40 (structural): Immediate context/continuation: 'For he who is not against us is for us' completes Jesus' response and frames the acceptance of those acting in his name.
- Luke 10:17-20 (thematic): The seventy return rejoicing that demons were subject to them 'in your name'—echoes the theme that works done in Jesus' name manifest authority and bear significance for his mission.
- Acts 4:10 (verbal): Peter attributes a healing 'by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth'—reflects the early church's practice of invoking Jesus' name as the source of miraculous power, paralleling Mark's claim about works done in Jesus' name.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Jesus said, "Do not stop him; for no one who performs a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me."
- And he said to them, 'Do not hinder him; for no one who performs a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me.'
Mark.9.40 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- καθ᾽ημων: PREP+PRON,gen,pl,1
- υπερ: PREP
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Luke 9:50 (verbal): Near-identical saying in the Lukan parallel: 'For whoever is not against you is for you,' matching Mark's formulation and context of accepting those who act in Jesus' name.
- Matthew 12:30 (verbal): Antithetical counterpart: 'Whoever is not with me is against me.' Presents the same issue of allegiance from the opposite polarity, illuminating boundaries of loyalty to Jesus.
- Luke 11:23 (verbal): Closely parallels Matthew 12:30 (and contrasts Mark 9:40) with the formula 'He who is not with me is against me,' underscoring conflict-language about identification with Jesus.
- Romans 8:31 (thematic): Echoes the 'for us/against us' vocabulary theologically: 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' Connects Mark's pragmatic tolerance of auxiliaries to the wider New Testament motif of divine support.
- Matthew 10:40 (thematic): Affirms the principle of reception: receiving Jesus' messengers is receiving Jesus (and the sender). Supports Mark's pragmatic stance that those acting on Jesus' behalf are to be regarded positively.
Alternative generated candidates
- "For whoever is not against us is for us."
- For whoever is not against us is for us.
Mark.9.41 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- αν: PART
- ποτιση: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- ποτηριον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- υδατος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- ονοματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- οτι: CONJ
- χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εστε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- αμην: PART
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- οτι: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- απολεση: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- μισθον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 10:42 (verbal): Nearly identical wording — giving a cup of water to 'one of these little ones' in Jesus' name will not lose his reward; direct verbal parallel to Mark's saying.
- Luke 9:48 (thematic): Jesus links welcoming the least/children with receiving him and the Father, connecting simple acts of hospitality toward his followers with recognition and reward.
- Matthew 25:40 (thematic): Acts of service to the least are treated as service to Christ himself ('whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers'), implying divine recompense for compassionate deeds.
- Hebrews 6:10 (thematic): Affirms that God will not forget acts of service and love shown to his people, reinforcing the theme that such humble ministries receive a just reward.
Alternative generated candidates
- "Truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you are a disciple will by no means lose his reward."
- For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name — truly I tell you, he will by no means lose his reward.
And John said, 'Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.' But Jesus said, 'Do not stop him; for no one who does a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me.'
For whoever is not against us is for us.
For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name—truly I tell you—by no means will he lose his reward.