Mark 9:23
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
A father has brought his son, afflicted by a spirit, to Jesus' disciples, who could not heal him. When the father asks Jesus to help if He can, Jesus responds about the power of belief.
What Does Mark 9:23 Mean?
Mark 9:23 is Jesus' answer to a father's hesitant plea -- He shifts the question from His own ability to the father's trust, declaring that all things are possible to the one who believes. The man had asked Jesus to help his afflicted son "if thou canst do any thing."
Jesus gently turns the man's words back: "If thou canst believe." The father had wondered whether Jesus was able; Jesus invites him to consider whether he himself will trust. This is not a claim that faith is a magic force that bends reality to our wishes, nor that whatever we want will automatically happen. Rather, Jesus opens the door of possibility to those who place their confidence in God's power. "All things are possible to him that believeth" lifts the man's eyes from the apparent hopelessness of his situation to the One for whom nothing is too hard. Faith here is not certainty about an outcome but trust directed toward the right person. Jesus is teaching that the limits we assume are often limits of our own trust, not of God's power. The verse calls the discouraged to bring their need to Jesus and to believe that He is able.
In the Original Language
The Greek "pisteuo" (believe) means to trust and rely upon. "Dynatos" (possible) relates to power and ability, what can be done.
Cross References
“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
- Mark 10:27
“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
- Matthew 17:20
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
- Luke 1:37
Application
When we face what seems impossible, Jesus invites us to shift our focus from our doubts to His power and to trust the One for whom nothing is too hard.