Mark 9:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."

NIV: And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."

NASB: And Jesus was saying to them, 'Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God when it has come with power.'

CSB: Then he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power."

NLT: Jesus went on to say, 'I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!'

KJV: And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

NKJV: And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”

Verse and chapter divisions were not part of the original manuscripts of the Bible. This verse is more accurately considered part of the preceding section, also described in Matthew 16:24–28 and Luke 9:23–27.

"And he said to them" likely means the entire section is a summary of a longer conversation. "Truly, I say to you…" may mean that Jesus is giving an oath.

Unlike Mark 8:38, which refers to a time when Jesus will come "in the glory of his Father with the holy angels," the event referred to here is just a glimpse of the kingdom of God. Scholars have had many discussions and debates as to what this event is. Possibilities include the transfiguration (which immediately follows), the resurrection, the ascension (Acts 1:6–11), Pentecost (Acts 2:1–13), or just the growing mustard seed of the expanding church (Mark 4:30–32).

The most likely answer is that Jesus means the transfiguration. Although the wording sounds awkward if it refers to an event that will happen within a week, the facts are that Peter, James, and John see the glorified Christ before they die. The other disciples will see Jesus in His glorified, resurrected body, but they do not see Him transfigured and affirmed by God (Mark 9:2–7).

This supports the idea that the kingdom of God means more than heaven. The kingdom of God is any situation where God's sovereignty, authority, power, and glory are manifest. Peter, James, and John experience this as they watch the transfigured Jesus speaking to Elijah and Moses and hear God say, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him" (Mark 9:7).

Mark 8:34—9:1 deals with sacrifice and rewards. To follow Jesus the disciples have sacrificed their livelihoods (Mark 1:16–20; 2:14), reputations (Mark 2:18, 23–24; 7:5), regular meals (Mark 6:30–31), and sleep (Mark 1:32–37; 6:45–48). In return, they expect glory (Mark 9:33–37) and power (Mark 10:35–45). Jesus explains that God's timing is more strategic and their roles are more important and difficult than they could imagine. To follow Christ, we must follow Him: His teaching (Mark 8:38), His life (Mark 10:42–45), and His sacrifice (John 15:20). In return, we should not expect earthly rewards, but we will get eternal life. Matthew 16:24–28 and Luke 9:23–27 also record these events.

Mark chapter 9 contains an account of Jesus' transfiguration, where three of the disciples witness Him in a glorified form. In this passage, Jesus also heals a demon-possessed boy. His teachings in this section include a prediction of His death and resurrection, and corrections to the disciples' errors on questions of pride and temptation.

Mark 9 continues Jesus' efforts to teach the disciples who He is, what He has come to do, and what their role is in His mission. The chapter begins with the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John catch a glimpse of Jesus' glory, and ends back in Capernaum. Jesus spends most of that time teaching. Although the disciples do quarrel with the scribes, the misconceptions and errors Jesus addresses come from the disciples, themselves, not outsiders. In the next chapter, He will leave Galilee and travel toward Jerusalem and the cross.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.