MARK 9:50 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) [ref]“Now salt is good, but if it were to go bad, what would you season your food with then? So keep yourselves like salt, and strive to get on well with each other.”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Salt is good, but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

UST Salt is very useful. However, if salt were to stop seasoning food well, you cannot make it season food well again. Be people who make this world better, just as salt makes food better. Also, live peacefully with each other.”

BSB Salt [is] good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

BLB The salt is good, but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

AICNT “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

OEB Salt is good, but, if the salt should lose its saltiness, what will you use to season it?
¶ You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another.’

WEBBE Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

LSV The salt [is] good, but if the salt may become saltless, in what will you season [it]? Have in yourselves salt, and have peace in one another.”

FBV Salt is good, but if it loses its taste, how could you make it salty again? You need to be like salt, and live in peace with one another.”

TCNT Salt is good, but if it becomes unsalty, with what shall you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

T4T Salt is useful to put on food, but you cannot [RHQ] make salt to taste salty again if it becomes flavorless [MET]. Similarly, you must remain useful to God, because no one can make you useful to God again if you become useless. You must also live peacefully with each other.”

LEB Salt is good, but if the salt becomes deprived of its salt content, by what can you make it salty? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

BBE Salt is good; but if the taste goes from it, how will you make it salt again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.

Moff Salt is excellent:
⇔ but if salt is tasteless, how are you to restore its flavour?
⇔ Let there be 'salt between you';
⇔ be at peace with one another."

Wymth Salt is a good thing, but if the salt should become tasteless, what will you use to give it saltness? Have salt within you and live at peace with one another."
¶ 

ASV Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.

DRA No DRA MARK 9:50 verse available

YLT The salt [is] good, but if the salt may become saltless, in what will ye season [it]? Have in yourselves salt, and have peace in one another.'

Drby Salt [is] good, but if the salt is become saltless, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

RV Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.
(Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye/you_all season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another. )

SLT Salt good: but if the salt be saltless, with what will ye prepare it? Have salt in yourselves, and live in peace one with another.

Wbstr Salt is good: but if the salt hath lost its saltness, with what will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

KJB-1769 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
( Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye/you_all season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. )

KJB-1611 Salt is good: but if the salt haue lost his saltnesse, wherewith will you season it? Haue salt in your selues, and haue peace one with another.
(Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.)

Bshps Salt is good: But if the salt be vnsauerie, with what thyng shall you season it? Haue salt in your selues, and haue peace among your selues, one with an other.
(Salt is good: But if the salt be unsavoury, with what thing shall you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among yourselves, one with another.)

Gnva Salt is good: but if the salt be vnsauerie, wherewith shall it be seasoned? haue salt in your selues, and haue peace one with another.
(Salt is good: but if the salt be unsavoury, wherewith shall it be seasoned? have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. )

Cvdl The salt is good: but yf ye salt be vnsauery, wherwith all shal it be salted? Haue salt in you & peace amonge yor selues one with another.
(The salt is good: but if ye/you_all salt be unsauery, wherewith all shall it be salted? Have salt in you and peace among yourselves one with another.)

TNT Salt is good. But yf the salt be vnsavery: what shall the salte therwith? Se that ye have salt in youre selves: and have peace amonge youre selves one with another.
(Salt is good. But if the salt be unsavery: what shall the salte therewith? See that ye/you_all have salt in your(pl) selves: and have peace among your(pl) selves one with another. )

Wycl No Wycl MARK 9:50 verse available

Luth Das Salz ist gut; so aber das Salz dumm wird, womit wird man würzen? Habt Salz bei euch und habt Frieden untereinander!
(The salt is good; so but the salt dumm becomes, with_what becomes man würzen? Have salt at/in you and have peace each_other!)

ClVg No ClVg MARK 9:50 verse available

UGNT καλὸν τὸ ἅλας, ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε? ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλα, καὶ εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις.
(kalon to halas, ean de to halas analon genaʸtai, en tini auto artusete? eⱪete en heautois hala, kai eiraʸneuete en allaʸlois.)

SBL-GNT καλὸν τὸ ἅλας· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε; ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ⸀ἅλα, καὶ εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις.
(kalon to halas; ean de to halas analon genaʸtai, en tini auto artusete; eⱪete en heautois ⸀hala, kai eiraʸneuete en allaʸlois.)

RP-GNT Καλὸν τὸ ἅλας· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε; Ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλας, καὶ εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις.
(Kalon to halas; ean de to halas analon genaʸtai, en tini auto artusete; Eⱪete en heautois halas, kai eiraʸneuete en allaʸlois.)

TC-GNT Καλὸν τὸ ἅλας· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε; Ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς [fn]ἅλας, καὶ εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις.
(Kalon to halas; ean de to halas analon genaʸtai, en tini auto artusete; Eⱪete en heautois halas, kai eiraʸneuete en allaʸlois. )

9:50 αλας ¦ αλα CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:42–50: Jesus gave various warnings

In this section, Jesus warned his disciples about several things. A believer should not cause another person to sin (9:42). A believer should not allow causes of sin to remain in his own life (9:43–48). Jesus warned believers that they would suffer because they follow him (9:49).

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

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus warned his followers with various sayings

Various warnings

Temptations to Sin (GNT)

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 18:6–9 and Luke 17:1–2.

Paragraph 9:49–50

In these verses, there are three different sayings about salt. Salt had many functions for the Jewish people. Each of these sayings refers to a different use of salt.

(9:49) God commanded his people to put salt on all their sacrifices (Leviticus 2:13). Salt became a symbol of the eternal nature of the covenant between God and his people.
(9:50a) People used salt to keep food from spoiling. They also used it to make food taste better.
(9:50b–d) When people entered into an agreement or covenant, they ate salt (or a meal that included salt) together.

9:50a

Salt is good,

Salt is a good thing.
Salt is useful,

In this verse, the metaphor is changed from the process of putting salt on something (9:49) to salt itself.

Salt is good: The Greek word that the BSB translates as good can also mean “useful.” Here Jesus meant that salt was useful or valuable for flavoring or for preserving food.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Salt is a good thing (NJB)

Salt is good for seasoning. (NLT)

There are good uses for salt.

9:50b

but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it?

But if it loses its taste/flavor, how can you^(plur) make it salty again?
but if it becomes unable to salt things, you certainly cannot restore it!

but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes a negative statement: If salt loses its salty taste, you certainly cannot make it salty again. Translate this expression in a way that emphasizes the negative statement.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

As a rhetorical question. For example, the GW says:
if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor?
As a statement. For example, the NCV says:
if the salt loses its salty taste, you cannot make it salty again
As a tag question. For example:
if the salt loses its salty taste, you cannot make it salty again, can you?

but if the salt loses its saltiness: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as loses its saltiness is literally “becomes saltless.” Salt that has “become saltless” has lost its ability to make food taste better.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

if it loses its taste/flavor

if the salt becomes unsalty (NASB)

9:50c

Have salt among yourselves,

You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves (NLT)
Cause your attitudes/deeds to be like the usefulness/goodness of salt
Be^(plur) good disciples like the good effect of salt on food,

Have salt among yourselves: The expression Have salt among yourselves refers figuratively to attitudes that believers have. Bible scholars have many opinions about which specific attitudes this expression refers to. You may want to:

Refer to the figurative use of salt in a general way. For example:
You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves. (NLT)
May your^(plur) attitudes and deeds have a salty taste/flavor
Make your mind/attitudes beneficial like salt
In the text of your translation, explain the metaphor in a general way. For example:
Have^(plur) that good effect of the gospel to others like salt to food
Be^(plur) good disciples like the usefulness of salt for food

9:50d

and be at peace with one another.”

and live in peace with one another.” (GNT)
and live in harmony/unity with one another.”

be at peace with one another: In this context, the Greek verb that the BSB translates as be at peace means “seek or keep peace” with other people. It refers to promoting unity, harmony, and friendliness. People who live at peace in this way will not quarrel and fight with each other.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

live in harmony together

have unity among yourselves

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

καλὸν τὸ ἅλας

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καλόν Τό ἅλας ἐάν δέ τό ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται ἐν τίνι αὐτό ἀρτύσετε Ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλα καί εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις)

To teach the disciples, Jesus offers a story or illustration. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Listen to this illustration: Salt is good]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

ἐὰν & τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι

Jesus means that it is possible for salt to become unsalty, and he is speaking about what can or cannot happen after salt has become unsalty. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a situation that could happen. Alternate translation: [suppose that the salt becomes unsalty. With what]

ἄναλον γένηται

unsalty ˓may˒_become

Alternate translation: [loses its salty taste]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε?

with what in with (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καλόν Τό ἅλας ἐάν δέ τό ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται ἐν τίνι αὐτό ἀρτύσετε Ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλα καί εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις)

Jesus is using the question form to show that no one can make ruined salt salty again. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [you cannot season it with anything!] or [you are not able to season it.]

αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε

Alternate translation: [will you make it taste salty again]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ἀρτύσετε & ἔχετε & εἰρηνεύετε

˱you_all˲_˓will_be˒_seasoning & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καλόν Τό ἅλας ἐάν δέ τό ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται ἐν τίνι αὐτό ἀρτύσετε Ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλα καί εἰρηνεύετε ἐν ἀλλήλοις)

Because Jesus is talking to his disciples, the word you and the commands Have and be at peace are plural.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλα

Here Jesus commands his disciples to have salt in themselves. Just as salt makes food better in many ways, so Jesus’ disciples can make the world better in many ways. If possible, preserve the figure of speech or use simile form since it refers back to the illustration Jesus just gave. Alternate translation: [Be like food that has salt in it] or [Help others as if you had salt in yourselves]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

εἰρηνεύετε

˓be˒_being_at_peace

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of peace, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [act peaceably]

Parallel MARK 9:50

Section 9:42–50: Jesus gave various warnings

Paragraph 9:49–50

9:50a

9:50b

9:50c

9:50d