Mark 9:16

16 Jesus asked them, " What are you arguing about?"

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 Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them.

15 Suddenly the whole crowd caught sight of Jesus. They ran to greet him, overcome with excitement.

16 Jesus asked them, "What are you arguing about?"

17 Someone from the crowd responded, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, since he has a spirit that doesn't allow him to speak.

18 Wherever it overpowers him, it throws him into a fit. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and stiffens up. So I spoke to your disciples to see if they could throw it out, but they couldn't."