Mark 9:16

16 Jesus asked the scribes, "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 other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them. Some scribes were arguing with them.

15 All the people were very surprised to see Jesus and ran to welcome him.

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

17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son. He is possessed by a spirit that won't let him talk.

18 Whenever the spirit brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes exhausted. I asked your disciples to force the spirit out, but they didn't have the power to do it."