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Mark 9:26
ESV And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."
NIV The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He’s dead."
NASB And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, 'He is dead!'
CSB Then it came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, "He’s dead."
NLT Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, 'He’s dead.'
KJV And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
NKJV Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”

What does Mark 9:26 mean?

The reaction of the demon to Jesus' authority is normal, even for those without seizure-like manifestations. In the beginning of Jesus' ministry, when He heals a possessed man in the synagogue, the demon, "convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him" (Mark 1:26). The legion of demons caused such violence they destroyed a herd of pigs (Mark 5:13). When Philip exorcised demons in Samaria, they came out with a loud cry (Acts 8:7). Since this demon is mute (Mark 9:17), he expresses his rage physically.

Demons are former angels who rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:6–9). They rejected their duty to glorify God and followed Satan in his quest to seek his own worship (Revelation 12:3–4, 9). They are not our friends. The power they offer is meant to destroy us. They have no power or authority over God, but they can take away from His worship by tricking, leading astray, and attacking people. The violence they exhibit when leaving a person shows that they are malevolent to the end.

Apparently, the deathlike appearance of the boy is a normal result of a seizure. "Becomes rigid" in Mark 9:18 can also mean that the boy is exhausted, withered, and pale. The physical stress of a seizure naturally makes the boy appear dead, but the members of the sudden crowd (Mark 9:25) wouldn't necessarily know that.
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