MARK 9:34 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. οἱ
2. ho
3. they
4. -
5. 35880
6. R···3NMP
7. they
8. they
9. -
10. Y32; R29926
11. 29988
1. Δέ
2. de
3. And
4. ≈But
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y32
11. 29989
1. ἐσιώπων
2. siōpaō
3. were keeping silent
4. -
5. 46230
6. VIIA3··P
7. ˓were˒ keeping_silent
8. ˓were˒ keeping_silent
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29990
1. πρός
2. pros
3. with
4. -
5. 43140
6. P·······
7. with
8. with
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29991
1. ἀλλήλους
2. allēlōn
3. one another
4. -
5. 2400
6. R····AMP
7. one_another
8. one_another
9. -
10. Y32; R29926
11. 29992
1. γάρ
2. gar
3. because/for
4. because
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29993
1. διελέχθησαν
2. dialegō
3. they were discussing
4. -
5. 12560
6. VIAP3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓were˒ discussing
8. ˱they˲ ˓were˒ discussing
9. -
10. Y32; R29926
11. 29994
1. ἐν
2. en
3. on
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29995
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29996
1. ὁδῷ
2. hodos
3. road
4. -
5. 35980
6. N····DFS
7. road
8. road
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29997
1. τίς
2. tis
3. who was
4. -
5. 51010
6. R····NMS
7. who ‹was›
8. who ‹was›
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29998
1. αὐτῶν
2. autos
3. -
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3GMP
7. ˱of˲ them
8. ˱of˲ them
9. -
10. -
11. 29999
1. μείζων
2. meizōn
3. greater
4. -
5. 31870
6. S····NMS
7. greater
8. greater
9. -
10. Y32
11. 30000
1. μεῖζον
2. meizōn
3. -
4. -
5. 31870
6. S····NNS
7. greater
8. greater
9. -
10. -
11. 30001
1. εἴη
2. eimi
3. -
4. -
5. 15100
6. VOPA3··S
7. might_be
8. might_be
9. -
10. -
11. 30002
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. -
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. -
11. 30003
1. γένηται
2. ginomai
3. -
4. -
5. 10960
6. VSAM3··S
7. ˓may˒ become
8. ˓may˒ become
9. -
10. -
11. 30004
1. αὐτῶν
2. autos
3. -
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3GMP
7. ˱of˲ them
8. ˱of˲ them
9. -
10. -
11. 30005

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:33–37: Jesus told his disciples that they must be humble

A person’s status in society was important in Jewish society. While they traveled to Capernaum, the disciples argued among themselves about which one of them was the highest in status in Jesus’ ministry (9:34).

Some of them probably thought that Peter was highest in status. They based this on his confession and the statements that Jesus made about him (8:28–30; Matthew 16:17–19). James and John may have thought that they themselves should be highest (10:35–40). But a high status often causes a person to become proud. So Jesus showed that being truly humble was the way to become high in status in the society of God’s kingdom.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Greatness in the Kingdom (GW)

Who Is the Greatest? (NIV)

The followers of Jesus must be humble

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 18:1–5 and Luke 9:46–48.

9:34a

But they were silent,

But they did not answer him,
They said nothing, (NJB)

But: The conjunction But indicates a contrast. The contrast is that Jesus expected the disciples to answer his question, but the disciples did not answer.

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here. For example, the GW says:

They were silent.

they were silent: The phrase they were silent indicates that the disciples did not answer Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

they would not answer him (GNT)

They said nothing (NJB)

9:34b

for on the way they had been arguing

because while they were walking on the road, they had argued
because they were ashamed to tell him that while walking they had argued among themselves

for: The conjunction for introduces the reason that the disciples were quiet. In some languages, it will be more natural to put 9:34b before 9:34a. See the General Comment on 9:34a–c below for an example.

on the way: The BSB uses the phrase on the way to translate the same Greek phrase that is translated as “on the way” in 9:33c. You may want to use the same phrase in both places. If it is more natural in your language, you can omit this second mention of it.

they had been arguing about: It is implied that the disciples were ashamed of the topic that they had been arguing about. So they did not want to answer Jesus. You may need to make this information explicit. For example:

they did not want Jesus to know that they had argued about…

they were ashamed to tell him that they had argued concerning…

9:34c

about which of them was the greatest.

about who was the greatest/highest in rank/status.
about which of them was most important.

which of them: The context implies that the word which of them refers to which one among the disciples. The NIV11 translates this as:

who

the greatest: The word greatest refers to having the highest status. The disciples wanted to know who among them was the most important person.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the most important

greatest in rank

highest in status/name

more important than all the others

General Comment on 9:34a–c

In this verse, 9:34b–c expresses the reason for the result in 9:34a. In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:

^34bBut they were ashamed to tell him that on the road, they had argued ^34cabout who was the greatest. ^34aSo they kept quiet.

^34bOn the road, they had argued ^34cabout who was the greatest. ^34aSo they kept quiet out of shame.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

οἱ & ἐσιώπων, πρὸς ἀλλήλους γὰρ διελέχθησαν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, τίς μείζων

they & ˓were˒_keeping_silent (Some words not found in SR-GNT: οἱ Δέ ἐσιώπων πρός ἀλλήλους γάρ διελέχθησαν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τίς μείζων)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [they had been arguing with one another on the way about who was greatest, so they were silent]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τίς μείζων

who_‹was› greater

Here, greatest refers to who was the greatest among the disciples. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: [who was the greatest among them]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. And
2. ≈But
3. 11610
4. S
5. de
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y32
11. 29989
1. they
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-···3NMP
7. they
8. they
9. -
10. Y32; R29926
11. 29988
1. were keeping silent
2. -
3. 46230
5. siōpaō
6. V-IIA3··P
7. ˓were˒ keeping_silent
8. ˓were˒ keeping_silent
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29990
1. because/for
2. because
3. 10630
5. gar
6. C-·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29993
1. they were discussing
2. -
3. 12560
5. dialegō
6. V-IAP3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓were˒ discussing
8. ˱they˲ ˓were˒ discussing
9. -
10. Y32; R29926
11. 29994
1. with
2. -
3. 43140
5. pros
6. P-·······
7. with
8. with
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29991
1. one another
2. -
3. 2400
5. allēlōn
6. R-····AMP
7. one_another
8. one_another
9. -
10. Y32; R29926
11. 29992
1. on
2. -
3. 17220
5. en
6. P-·······
7. on
8. on
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29995
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29996
1. road
2. -
3. 35980
5. hodos
6. N-····DFS
7. road
8. road
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29997
1. who was
2. -
3. 51010
5. tis
6. R-····NMS
7. who ‹was›
8. who ‹was›
9. -
10. Y32
11. 29998
1. greater
2. -
3. 31870
5. meizōn
6. S-····NMS
7. greater
8. greater
9. -
10. Y32
11. 30000

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.