Mark 9:22 Meaning and Explanation
“And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The father describes the spirit's attempts to destroy his son and pleads, if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us and help us.
What Does Mark 9:22 Mean?
The father finishes the history: the spirit has often hurled the boy into fire and into water to destroy him. Then comes the plea of a man worn thin by years and by failed help: if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. He says us, for the whole family bears this affliction together.
It is a prayer from the edge of hope, hedged with an if, and Jesus does not despise it. He will lift the man's faith in a moment, but He receives the asker as he is. Christ hears the help us inside every if we pray. Battered, qualified, half-doubting prayers still reach Him, and He is moved with the very compassion they ask for.
Mark 9:22 in the Original Language
splanchnizomai (σπλαγχνίζομαι), 'have compassion' -- to be moved in one's inmost being, stirred to the depths.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 9:22
What does Mark 9:22 mean?
The father describes the spirit's attempts to destroy his son and pleads, if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us and help us.