Mark 9:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For everyone will be salted with fire.

NIV: Everyone will be salted with fire.

NASB: For everyone will be salted with fire.

CSB: For everyone will be salted with fire.

NLT: For everyone will be tested with fire.

KJV: For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

NKJV: “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.

In Mark 9:48, Jesus says that sinners will suffer in unquenching fire. Here, He says everyone will experience the flames. Sinners will face the consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29) of God's judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–15). Similarly, Paul speaks about how believers' good works will be tested by fire to see if there is anything pure enough to remain. If there is, that person will receive a reward. If not, they will come out with their lives (1 Corinthians 3:12–15).

This purification ritual will be performed at what is called the "Bema Seat of Christ." It is there that Christians will give an account for their actions on earth (Romans 14:10–12) and receive what we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Many Christians are fearful of this judgment, particularly that others will hear about our sins. Jesus' words that "nothing is…secret except to come to light" (Mark 4:22) is only inspiring if the secret isn't yours! But this judgment is the point where we will finally understand our place in God's kingdom. We will see evil as it really is, and be eternally grateful for Jesus' forgiveness. We will realize, like adolescents growing into mature adults, that other people are usually more interested in their own lives than ours. And we will gain God's heart, valuing righteousness and rejecting the evil we once did (1 John 3:2).

Those who do not accept Christ have every reason to fear the flames of judgment. For Christians, it will be the final shedding of our sinful lives and the culmination of the Holy Spirit's purifying work in us.

Mark 9:49–50 follows Jesus' admonitions to avoid sin with a short treatise on salt. Salt was a metaphor for many cultural philosophies and spiritual truths in Jesus' time, including purity, vows, the worth of one's labor, and preservation. Neither Matthew nor Luke touch on the concepts given in Mark 9:49, but they do have parallel passages for Mark 9:50 (Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34–35).

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.