Mark 9:16

16 He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"

Mark 9:16 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 9:16

And he asked the Scribes
The Vulgate Latin renders it, "he asked them"; and the Ethiopic version, he said unto them; meaning either that he asked the disciples when he came to them, or else the people that ran to salute him; but the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, "the Scribes"; seeing them about his disciples, in close debate with them, and running hard upon them, he asks them,

what question ye with them?
what is it ye seek and require of them? what is your dispute with them? what is your debate about? The Vulgate Latin version reads, "what question ye among you?" among themselves, and one another; and so Beza's most ancient copy.

Mark 9:16 In-Context

14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.

15 When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.

16 He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"

17 Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;

18 and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so."