Mark 9:39 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.

NIV: "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me,

NASB: But Jesus said, 'Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.

CSB: "Don’t stop him," said Jesus, "because there is no one who will perform a miracle in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me.

NLT: Don’t stop him!' Jesus said. 'No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me.

KJV: But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

NKJV: But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.

There are people in the world who admire Jesus as a good man and a wise teacher. They may even try to live their lives according to what He taught. It's unfortunately true that even those people, if they do not recognize their sin and allow Him to pay the cost for them, are not saved. But Jesus says don't discourage them. Let them continue to be inspired by Him. Certainly, teach them the truth about salvation, but don't minimize their good works (Acts 18:24–28). Works don't "count" toward salvation, but any God-honoring and God-obeying effort to do good in Jesus' name glorifies Him.

Both Moses and Paul understood this. When Joshua pleaded with Moses to control a group of unregulated prophets, Moses told Joshua he had no jealousy for other men whom the Holy Spirit empowered (Numbers 11:26–29). Paul went even further, validating the ministry of preachers who taught about Christ out of envy and rivalry. Paul had more concern for the spread of the gospel than his own reputation (Philippians 1:12–18).

Scripture will explain that not everyone who casts out demons in His name is saved; another sign is doing God's will (Matthew 7:21–23). Sometimes the demons will not respond, even to Jesus' name (Acts 19:13–16). And sometimes even those who follow Christ on the outside don't have the faith to cast out demons in His name (Matthew 17:14–20). Other times, a token that is carried by a Christ-follower will drive the demons away (Acts 19:11–12). The vagaries show that the power to exorcise demons comes from God alone and only in His timing and will. If someone casts out a demon, they are doing God's work, but that doesn't mean they belong to God.

Mark 9:38–41 is one of the more ironic passages of the Bible. John describes how the disciples try to stop a man from using Jesus' name to expel demons shortly after they, themselves, are unable to rescue a boy from demonic possession (Mark 9:17–18) and minutes after the disciples argue over who is the greatest (Mark 9:33–34). Jesus points out that ''enemies'' are those who attack them, not people walking in the same direction. This account is paralleled in Luke 9:49–50.

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.