Mark 9:34
New International Version
But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

New Living Translation
But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

English Standard Version
But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

Berean Standard Bible
But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

Berean Literal Bible
And they were silent, for along the road they had been discussing with one another which was greatest.

King James Bible
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

New King James Version
But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.

New American Standard Bible
But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

NASB 1995
But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

NASB 1977
But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

Legacy Standard Bible
But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

Amplified Bible
But they kept quiet, because on the road they had discussed and debated with one another which one [of them] was the greatest.

Christian Standard Bible
But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But they were silent, because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.

American Standard Version
But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another on the way, who was the greatest.

Contemporary English Version
They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer.

English Revised Version
But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another in the way, who was the greatest.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They were silent. On the road they had argued about who was the greatest.

Good News Translation
But they would not answer him, because on the road they had been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest.

International Standard Version
But they kept silent, because they had argued on the road with one another about who was the greatest.

Majority Standard Bible
But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

NET Bible
But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

New Heart English Bible
But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest.

Webster's Bible Translation
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

Weymouth New Testament
But they remained silent; for on the way they had debated with one another who was the chief of them.

World English Bible
But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they were silent, for they reasoned with one another in the way who is greater;

Berean Literal Bible
And they were silent, for along the road they had been discussing with one another which was greatest.

Young's Literal Translation
and they were silent, for with one another they did reason in the way who is greater;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they were silent; for they discussed to one another in the way, who the greatest.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But they held their peace, for in the way they had disputed among themselves, which of them should be the greatest.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But they were silent. For indeed, on the way, they had disputed among themselves as to which of them was greater.

New American Bible
But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.

New Revised Standard Version
But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But they kept silent, for on the road they had argued with one another, which was the greatest of them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But they were silent, for they had been arguing on the road with one another who was the greatest among them.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But they were silent. For they had been disputing with one another along the road which was greatest.

Godbey New Testament
And they were silent: for they were disputing to one another in the way, who was the greater.

Haweis New Testament
But they held their peace. For they had been disputing with each other on the road, which was the greatest.

Mace New Testament
at which they were silent, for upon the road they had disputed about precedency.

Weymouth New Testament
But they remained silent; for on the way they had debated with one another who was the chief of them.

Worrell New Testament
But they were silent; for they disputed with one another in the way, who was the greatest.

Worsley New Testament
But they held their peace; for they had been disputing with each other by the way who should be the greatest.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Greatest in the Kingdom
33Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”…

Cross References
Matthew 18:1-4
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” / Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. / “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ...

Luke 9:46-48
Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. / But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him. / And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

Matthew 20:20-28
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him. / “What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.” / “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered. ...

Luke 22:24-27
A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest. / So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors. / But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. ...

Matthew 23:11-12
The greatest among you shall be your servant. / For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. / Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

James 4:1-3
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? / You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. / And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

1 Peter 5:5-6
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” / Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

1 Corinthians 1:10-12
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction. / My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. / What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”

1 Corinthians 3:3-4
for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man? / For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 4:2-3
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, / and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Proverbs 13:10
Arrogance leads only to strife, but wisdom is with the well-advised.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.


Treasury of Scripture

But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

they had.

Matthew 18:1
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 20:21-24
And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom…

Luke 9:46-48
Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest…

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Argued Argument Chief Debated Discussed Disputed Greater Greatest Held Kept Peace Quiet Reason Reasoning Silent Themselves Way
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Argued Argument Chief Debated Discussed Disputed Greater Greatest Held Kept Peace Quiet Reason Reasoning Silent Themselves Way
Mark 9
1. Jesus is transfigured.
11. He instructs his disciples concerning the coming of Elijah;
14. casts forth a deaf and mute spirit;
30. foretells his death and resurrection;
33. exhorts his disciples to humility;
38. bidding them not to prohibit such as are not against them,
42. nor to give offense to any of the faithful.














But they were silent
The disciples' silence here is telling. The Greek word for "silent" is "σιωπάω" (siōpaō), which implies a deliberate choice to refrain from speaking. This silence is not just a lack of words but a reflection of their shame and realization of their inappropriate behavior. In the context of discipleship, this silence can be seen as a moment of introspection, where the disciples are confronted with their own pride and ambition. It serves as a reminder that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is not about self-promotion but about humility and service.

for on the way
The phrase "on the way" indicates that this conversation took place during a journey. In the Gospel of Mark, "the way" often symbolizes the path of discipleship and following Jesus. This journey motif is significant because it underscores the idea that discipleship is a process, a journey of learning and transformation. As followers of Christ, we are constantly "on the way," learning to align our lives with His teachings and example.

they had been arguing
The Greek word for "arguing" is "διαλογίζομαι" (dialogizomai), which can also mean reasoning or debating. This suggests that the disciples were engaged in a heated discussion, each trying to assert their own importance. This behavior is contrasted with the teachings of Jesus, who consistently emphasized humility and servanthood. The disciples' argument reveals their misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and the nature of true leadership in God's Kingdom.

with one another
The phrase "with one another" highlights the interpersonal nature of the disciples' dispute. It serves as a reminder that pride and competition can easily arise in community settings, even among those who are committed to following Christ. This phrase calls believers to examine their relationships with others, ensuring that they are characterized by love, unity, and mutual respect rather than rivalry and division.

which of them was the greatest
The desire to be "the greatest" reflects a common human tendency to seek status and recognition. In the cultural context of the time, greatness was often associated with power, authority, and social standing. However, Jesus redefines greatness in terms of servanthood and self-sacrifice. This phrase challenges believers to reconsider their own definitions of success and to strive for greatness in the eyes of God, which is marked by humility, love, and service to others.

(34) Who should be the greatest.--Better, more simply, who was the greatest.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

they were silent,
ἐσιώπων (esiōpōn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4623: To keep silence, be silent, either voluntarily or involuntarily. From siope; to be dumb; figuratively, to be calm.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

on
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

way
ὁδῷ (hodō)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3598: A way, road, journey, path. Apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress; figuratively, a mode or means.

they had been arguing
διελέχθησαν (dielechthēsan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1256: To converse, address, preach, lecture; I argue, reason. Middle voice from dia and lego; to say thoroughly, i.e. Discuss.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

each other
ἀλλήλους (allēlous)
Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 240: One another, each other. Genitive plural from allos reduplicated; one another.

which [of them was]
τίς (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

[the] greatest.
μείζων (meizōn)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.


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