Mark 9:48 Meaning and Explanation
“Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The third sounding of the refrain from Isaiah: their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
What Does Mark 9:48 Mean?
The refrain sounds its third and final time, completing the triple warning. The words are Isaiah's last (Isaiah 66:24), the prophet's closing vision of those who rebelled against the LORD.
Yet the same chapter of Isaiah opens with the God who looks in mercy to the humble and contrite in spirit (Isaiah 66:2). The fire is escapable; that is the entire purpose of the warning. And Jesus speaks it on His own road to the cross, where He gives Himself so that everyone who trusts and follows Him may enter life and not the fire.
Mark 9:48 in the Original Language
skolex (σκώληξ), 'worm' -- a devouring worm or maggot, the image drawn from Isaiah 66:24.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 9:48
What does Mark 9:48 mean?
The third sounding of the refrain from Isaiah: their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.