Mark 9 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

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The kingdom in power and the transfiguration 9:1–13

v. 1 — the pledge: some will see the kingdom come in power

And he was saying to them:independent — iterative imperfect — the solemn saying closing the call to discipleship (8:34–38)

'Truly I say to youcontent — the ἀμήν-formula — Jesus' characteristic solemn asseveration

that there are some standing herecontent — the pledge — partitive: some of those now present

who will by no means taste deathrelative — οὐ μή + subjunctive — the strongest denial; 'taste death,' a Semitic idiom (cf. Heb 2:9)

until they see the kingdom of God having come in power.'conditional — temporal ἕως ἄν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — the famous crux: what do 'some' live to see? six days later, the transfiguration

vv. 2–8 — the transfiguration: the mountain, the garments, the cloud, the voice

And after six days Jesus takes along Peter and James and John,independent — historic present; the rare exact interval echoes Exod 24:16 — six days before the glory on Sinai

and leads them up onto a high mountain by themselves alone.independent — historic present — the mountain of theophany; doubled privacy, κατ’ ἰδίαν μόνους

And he was transfigured before them,independent — μετεμορφώθη — divine passive: God transfigures him

and his garments became radiant, exceedingly white,independent — στίλβοντα — a NT hapax; the whiteness of heavenly glory

such as no fuller on earth could so whiten.relative — οἷα-clause — the homely foil: beyond any earthly bleacher's craft

And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses,independent — ὤφθη — the verb of revelatory appearances; Elijah named first, feeding vv. 11–13

and they were talking with Jesus.independent — periphrastic imperfect — the two who met God on the mountain converse with him

And Peter, responding, says to Jesus:independent — historic present with Semitic ἀποκριθείς — Peter 'answers' what no one asked

'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here;content — ῥαββί — the merely human address at the moment of glory

and let us make three tents — one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.'content — hortatory subjunctive — three equal booths, the proposal's error

for he did not know what he should answer,cause — narrator's excusing aside — the deliberative subjunctive kept in the indirect question

for they had become terrified.cause — the second γάρ — fear beneath the babble; ἔκφοβος, a rare intensive

And a cloud came, overshadowing them,independent — the Shekinah cloud — ἐπισκιάζω of Exod 40:34–35

and a voice came out of the cloud:independent — the bat qol — the speech-frame; cf. 1:11, now addressed to the disciples

'This is my beloved Son;content — the baptismal declaration turned third person — Ps 2:7 with Gen 22:2 overtones

listen to him.'content — Deut 18:15 — the prophet like Moses; the Father's one command

And suddenly, looking around,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδον; ἐξάπινα, a rare adverb

they no longer saw anyone but Jesus only with themselves.independent — the vision withdrawn — Jesus alone remains, the scene's abiding point

vv. 9–13 — the descent: silence until the rising, and the Elijah question

And as they were coming down from the mountain,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on διεστείλατο

he ordered themindependent — διαστέλλομαι — the strict charge; the messianic secret given a terminus

that they should tell no one what they had seen,content — ἵνα-content of the command — the relative ἃ εἶδον drawn forward

except when the Son of Man should rise from the dead.conditional — εἰ μὴ ὅταν — the exception that dates the secret: the resurrection unseals it

And they kept the matter to themselves,independent — they obey the letter — the λόγος held fast

discussing what the rising from the dead might be.participial — the puzzlement — not resurrection as such, but one man's rising before the End

And they were questioning him, saying:independent — iterative imperfect + speech-participle

'Why do the scribes saycontent — interrogative ὅτι = 'why?' — a Markan idiom; the scribal expectation from Mal 4:5

that Elijah must come first?'content — δεῖ — the scriptural necessity: Elijah before the Day

And he said to them:independent — the reply-frame

'Elijah indeed, coming first, restores all things;content — the expectation granted — μέν awaiting its adversative; ἀποκαθιστάνει from Mal 4:6 LXX

and how is it written of the Son of Man,content — the counter-question — if Elijah restores all, why must the Son of Man suffer?

that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?content — ἵνα-content of γέγραπται — Ps 22 / Isa 53:3; ἐξουδενηθῇ, 'set at naught'

But I say to youcontent — the ἀλλά-verdict — the implied δέ to v. 12's μέν

that Elijah has indeed come,content — perfect ἐλήλυθεν — the forerunner already arrived: John the Baptist (cf. 1:6)

and they did to him whatever they wished,content — the rejection — Herod and Herodias (6:14–29) behind the veiled ὅσα ἤθελον

as it is written of him.comparative — the Elijah-scripture — Jezebel's pursuit (1 Kgs 19:2, 10) read as pattern

The boy with the mute spirit — 'I believe; help my unbelief' 9:14–29

vv. 14–19 — down the mountain: the dispute, the father's report, the lament

And coming to the disciples,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδον; from glory down to the arguing crowd

they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing with them.independent — the scene below — the nine besieged; συζητέω, the chapter's dispute-verb

And immediately all the crowd, seeing him, were greatly amazed,independent — ἐξεθαμβήθησαν — Mark's intensive awe-verb; plural participle with collective ὄχλος (constructio ad sensum)

and running up,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἠσπάζοντο

they greeted him.independent — inceptive imperfect — the rush of greeting

And he asked them:independent — the question-frame

'What are you disputing with them?'content — the probe — Jesus steps into the argument

And one out of the crowd answered him:independent — the father emerges — εἷς ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου

'Teacher, I brought my son to you,content — πρὸς σέ — he came for Jesus and found the nine

who has a mute spirit;participial — attributive participle — ἄλαλον, the spirit that silences

and wherever it seizes him,conditional — indefinite local ὅπου ἐάν (typed cnd; no local key) — leaning on ῥήσσει

it throws him down,content — the symptoms begin — iterative presents in the father's report

and he foamscontent — the foaming — clinical detail in the father's voice

and grinds his teethcontent — the grinding — the subject slips from spirit to boy

and becomes rigid;content — ξηραίνεται — 'dries up': the stiffened collapse

and I told your disciplescontent — the complaint turns — σου: they are Jesus' disciples who failed

to cast it out,content — ἵνα-content of the request

and they were not able.'content — οὐκ ἴσχυσαν — the failure stated flat; the authority of 6:7 gone slack

And answering them he says:independent — historic present — the grieved reply

'O unbelieving generation,content — verbless exclamation — Deut 32:5, 20 behind the address; disciples and crowd together

how long shall I be with you?content — the prophet's weariness — the first ἕως πότε

how long shall I bear with you?content — the parallel lament

Bring him to me.'content — the lament pivots to command — πρός με, where the disciples failed

vv. 20–24 — the convulsion, the exchange over δύνασθαι, the cry of half-faith

And they brought him to him.independent — the command obeyed

And seeing him,participial — preposed participle — leans on συνεσπάραξεν; its subject, the spirit, follows

the spirit immediately convulsed him,independent — the hostile greeting — the sight of Jesus provokes the paroxysm

and falling on the ground,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἐκυλίετο; the subject shifts to the boy

he rolled about, foaming.independent — progressive imperfect — the fit plays out before all

And he asked his father:independent — the unhurried question amid the fit — the case history drawn out

'How long a time has it beencontent — the question of duration

since this has happened to him?'conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — 'since'

And he said:independent — the father's reply-frame

'From childhood;content — verbless — the doubled 'from' (ἐκ + -θεν): a lifelong affliction

and often it has thrown him both into fire and into waters,content — the murderous history — fire and water, the elements of destruction

to destroy him;purpose — the spirit's purpose named — ἀπολέσῃ

but if you can do anything,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — the father's tentative εἴ τι δύνῃ, leaning on βοήθησον

have compassion on us and help us.'content — the apodosis-plea — ἡμῖν: father and son suffer together; σπλαγχνισθείς, the compassion-verb of 1:41

And Jesus said to him:independent — the reply-frame

'That "if you can"!content — elliptical — the article Τό holds the man's own words up for inspection; the earliest text's harder reading against the later smoothing τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι

all things are possible for the one who believes.'content — verbless maxim — the question is not Jesus' power but the father's faith

Immediately the father of the child, crying out, said:independent — κράξας — the shout of urgency; some witnesses add μετὰ δακρύων, 'with tears'

'I believe;content — the confession — one word

help my unbelief!'content — the celebrated paradox — βοήθει echoing his own βοήθησον: faith asking Christ to supply its lack

vv. 25–29 — the expulsion, the raising, the private lesson

And Jesus, seeing that a crowd was rapidly gathering,participial — preposed circumstantial with ὅτι-content — leans on ἐπετίμησεν; he acts before the spectacle swells

rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:independent — ἐπετίμησεν — the rebuke-verb of exorcism (1:25)

'You mute and deaf spirit,content — verbless address — the spirit named by its works and so mastered

I command you:content — emphatic ἐγώ — where the disciples failed, his bare authority

come out of himcontent — the expulsion command

and enter him no more.'content — the prohibition of return — μηκέτι: the cure made permanent

And crying out and convulsing him violently,participial — two preposed aorist participles — the violent exit before the verb (cf. 1:26)

it came out;independent — the command obeyed — one word

and he became like a corpse,independent — ὡσεὶ νεκρός — the deliverance that looks like death

so that the many saidpurpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key)

that he had died.content — the crowd's verdict — setting up the resurrection-shaped raising

But Jesus, taking hold of his hand, raised him up,independent — κρατήσας τῆς χειρός + ἤγειρεν — the gesture and verb of 1:31 and 5:41; resurrection in miniature

and he stood up.independent — ἀνέστη — the chapter's rising-verb (vv. 9, 10, 31) enacted on the boy

And when he had entered into a house,participial — genitive absolute — the Markan house of private instruction

his disciples asked him privately:independent — κατ’ ἰδίαν again — the failure faced indoors

'Why were we not able to cast it out?'content — interrogative ὅτι = 'why?'; emphatic ἡμεῖς — we, who had done it before (6:13)

And he said to them:independent — the answer-frame

'This kind can come out by nothingcontent — τοῦτο τὸ γένος — a rank of spirit beyond delegated technique

except by prayer.'conditional — verbless εἰ μή exception — dependence, not formula; some witnesses add καὶ νηστείᾳ ('and fasting'), the shorter text printed

The second passion prediction 9:30–32

And going out from there,participial — preposed participle — leans on παρεπορεύοντο; κἀκεῖθεν by crasis

they were passing through Galilee,independent — progressive imperfect — the incognito journey south

and he did not wantindependent — the deliberate secrecy

anyone to know it;content — ἵνα-content of θέλω — γνοῖ, the late-Greek subjunctive form

for he was teaching his disciplescause — the γάρ of the secrecy — the journey is a traveling classroom

and saying to them:cause — coordinate with ἐδίδασκεν — recitative ὅτι

'The Son of Man is being delivered into the hands of men,content — the wordplay υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου / χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων; παραδίδοται, futuristic present and divine passive

and they will kill him,content — the second prediction's blunt center

and having been killed,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἀναστήσεται; death conceded before the rising

after three days he will rise.'content — the refrain's hopeful close — μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας, Mark's idiom

But they did not understand the saying,independent — the persistent incomprehension — the pattern of 8:32

and they were afraid to ask him.independent — fear seals the misunderstanding — the silence that breeds the road-dispute

Who is the greatest — the child in the midst 9:33–37

vv. 33–35 — the road-dispute exposed; first means last

And they came to Capernaum.independent — back to the home base of chapter 1

And when he was in the house,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἐπηρώτα; the house again the schoolroom

he asked them:independent — inceptive imperfect — the probing question

'What were you discussing on the way?'content — ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ — on the way of the cross, of all places

But they were silent,independent — the shamed silence

for on the way they had argued with one another about who was greatest.cause — narrator's γάρ — the verbless indirect question τίς μείζων names the shame

And sitting down,participial — preposed participle — the teacher's seated posture; leans on ἐφώνησεν

he called the twelveindependent — the formal summons — a pronouncement follows

and says to them:independent — historic present — the speech-frame

'If anyone wants to be first,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — leaning on ἔσται

he shall be last of all and servant of all.'content — the great reversal — doubled πάντων: last of all, servant of all

vv. 36–37 — the child in the midst

And taking a child,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἔστησεν

he set it in their midst,independent — the object lesson placed where the rank-dispute stood

and taking it in his arms,participial — ἐναγκαλισάμενος — Mark's embrace-verb (10:16); leans on εἶπεν

he said to them:independent — the speech-frame

'Whoever receives one of such children in my nameconditional — relative-conditional ὃς ἄν (typed cnd, = ἐάν τις) — leaning on δέχεται

receives me;content — the identification — the least one carries Christ

and whoever receives meconditional — the chain's second link — relative-conditional again

receives not me but the one who sent me.'content — the chain ends in the Father — Semitic 'not… but' (= 'not only… but')

The strange exorcist — 'whoever is not against us is for us' 9:38–41

John said to him:independent — John's rare solo speech — the sectarian instinct

'Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,content — the outsider succeeds — in the name — where the nine had just failed

and we were trying to stop him,content — conative imperfect — the attempted prohibition

because he was not following us.'cause — ἡμῖν, not σοι — the group, not the master, made the measure

But Jesus said:independent — the correction-frame

'Do not forbid him,content — present prohibition — stop hindering

for there is no onecause — the grounds — existential ἐστιν

who will do a mighty work in my namerelative — the future in the relative — the general case stated

and will be able soon after to speak evil of me;relative — coordinate relative — the deed in the name forms a bond against slander

For whoever is not against usconditional — relative-conditional (typed cnd) — leaning on ἐστιν below

is for us.cause — the maxim — no neutrality toward the kingdom; a second γάρ under the prohibition

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in the nameconditional — relative-conditional (typed cnd) — the smallest kindness; a third γάρ, leaning on the ἀμήν-apodosis

because you are Christ's,cause — the ground of the gift — predicate genitive of belonging; Χριστός absolute on Jesus' lips, rare in Mark

truly I say to you,content — the ἀμήν-formula seals the promise

he will by no means lose his reward.'content — οὐ μή — the emphatic denial: the cup of water is not forgotten

The millstone, the fire, and the salt 9:42–50

v. 42 — the millstone

And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble,conditional — relative-conditional (typed cnd) — leaning on καλόν ἐστιν; σκανδαλίζω, the section's keyword, enters

it would be better for himindependent — καλόν… μᾶλλον — the grim comparative understatement

if a donkey-turned millstone were hung around his neckconditional — backward εἰ-clause (anchored) — the μύλος ὀνικός, the great stone a donkey turns

and he were thrown into the sea.conditional — coordinate protasis — perfect βέβληται: already lying on the sea floor

vv. 43–48 — hand, foot, eye: the amputation sayings and Gehenna

And if your hand causes you to stumble,conditional — the first protasis of the triad — leaning on ἀπόκοψον

cut it off;independent — the drastic imperative — hyperbole in deadly earnest

it is better for you to enter into life maimedindependent — the καλόν-comparison — life (= the kingdom, v. 47) worth any member

than, having two hands, to go away into Gehenna,comparative — ἤ-alternative (typed cmp) — whole, and lost; concessive ἔχοντα

into the unquenchable fire.phrase modifier — epexegetic apposition — Gehenna glossed as the ἄσβεστον fire (the traditional v. 44 that followed here is absent from the critical text)

And if your foot causes you to stumble,conditional — the second protasis — the refrain's exact parallel

cut it off;independent — the same blunt apodosis

it is better for you to enter into life lameindependent — χωλόν — lame into life

than, having two feet, to be thrown into Gehenna.comparative — ἤ-alternative — βληθῆναι now passive: one is thrown (the traditional v. 46 is likewise absent from the critical text)

And if your eye causes you to stumble,conditional — the third and climactic protasis

throw it out;independent — ἔκβαλε — the exorcism-verb turned on one's own eye

it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eyeindependent — the goal named at last — the kingdom of God, equated with 'life'

than, having two eyes, to be thrown into Gehenna,comparative — ἤ-alternative — the triad complete: hand, foot, eye

where their worm does not diecontent — Isa 66:24 — the quotation that defines Gehenna, hung beneath it

and the fire is not quenched.content — Isa 66:24 continued — the unquenched fire answering τὸ ἄσβεστον of v. 43

vv. 49–50 — salted with fire; salt and peace

For everyone will be salted with fire.independent — the notorious crux — γάρ hinges fire to salt: purifying trial? sacrificial seasoning (Lev 2:13)? judgment? glossed, left open

Salt is good;independent — verbless maxim — καλόν a third time, now of salt

but if the salt becomes unsalty,conditional — protasis — ἄναλον, a NT hapax; leaning on ἀρτύσετε

with what will you season it?independent — the unanswerable question — savor lost is lost

Have salt in yourselves,independent — the saying turned imperative — keep the distinctive savor

and be at peace with one another.independent — the chapter's close — peace answering the rank-dispute of vv. 33–34

Analysis. Mark 9 keeps the narrative grammar of chapter 1 — coordinate purple main clauses flush left, historic presents flagged as they land (παραλαμβάνει, ἀναφέρει, λέγει), preposed circumstantial participles and genitive absolutes leaning forward, anchorless, on the verb below (καταβαινόντων αὐτῶν, εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ, Κἀκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες, καθίσας, λαβὼν παιδίον), and every word of speech hanging blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying — but the chapter's weight shifts steadily from event to dialogue, and the layout shows it: the transfiguration itself takes six flat clauses, while the exchanges it triggers cascade. The heavenly voice hangs under φωνή exactly as at the baptism (Οὗτός ἐστιν answering the Σὺ εἶ of 1:11, now aimed at the disciples, with ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ from Deut 18:15). Inside quoted speech the protases lean forward one step above their apodoses: the father's ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τι δύνῃ over βοήθησον, answered by Jesus' Τὸ Εἰ δύνῃ — the earliest text's article holding the man's own words up for inspection (the later tradition smooths to τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι) — and answered again by the chapter's most famous line, Πιστεύω· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. The sayings-chains of vv. 35–50 ride the same shape: Εἴ τις θέλει, the ὃς-ἄν relative-conditionals (typed cnd, ἐάν-τις equivalents), and the triple ἐὰν σκανδαλίζῃ of hand, foot, and eye, each protasis over its blunt imperative and its καλόν-ἐστιν comparison, with Gehenna's apposition (εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἄσβεστον) and the Isa 66:24 worm-and-fire quotation hanging beneath. Cruxes carried honestly: v. 1's pledge that some standing here will not taste death until they see the kingdom come in power is left open — though Mark's own μετὰ ἡμέρας ἕξ (a rare precise interval, echoing Exod 24:16) suggests he offers the transfiguration as its down payment; vv. 44 and 46, the traditional repetitions of the worm-and-fire refrain, are absent from the earliest witnesses and from this text, so the numbering runs 43 → 45 → 47; at v. 29 the shorter ἐν προσευχῇ is printed (without the later καὶ νηστείᾳ); and v. 49's πᾶς γὰρ πυρὶ ἁλισθήσεται — everyone salted with fire — stands flush left as the hinge between fire and salt, its sense (purifying trial? sacrificial seasoning, Lev 2:13? judgment?) glossed but left open.