Mark 9

Mc 9.1Et post diēs sex assūmit Iēsus Petrum, et Iacōbum, et Iōannem, et dūcit illōs in montem excelsum sēorsum sōlōs, et trānsfigūrātus est cōram ipsīs.

And after six days Jesus takes Peter, and James, and John, and leads them into a high mountain apart alone, and he was transfigured in front of them.

Note. assūmit … dūcit: historic presents. Petrum, et Iacōbum, et Iōannem: the three closest disciples. trānsfigūrātus est: 'he was changed in form' (Greek metamorphōthē).

Mc 9.2Et vestīmenta eius facta sunt splendentia, et candida nimis velut nix, quālia fullō nōn potest super terram candida facere.

And his garments became shining, and white exceedingly like snow, such as a fuller on earth cannot make white.

Note. quālia … nōn potest … facere: 'such as a fuller cannot make'. A fullō cleaned and whitened cloth.

Mc 9.3Et appāruit illīs Ēliās cum Mōyse: et erant loquentēs cum Iēsū.

And Elias appeared to them with Moyses: and they were speaking with Jesus.

Note. erant loquentēs: 'were speaking', sum + present participle, a periphrastic form common in Biblical Latin. Moses stands for the Law, Elijah for the Prophets.

Mc 9.4Et respondēns Petrus, ait Iēsū: Rabbi, bonum est nōs hīc esse: et faciāmus tria tabernācula, tibi ūnum, et Mōysī ūnum, et Ēliae ūnum.

And answering, Peter says to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good that we are here: and let us make three tents, one for you, and one for Moyses, and one for Elias.

Note. Rabbī: Hebrew 'my master'. bonum est nōs hīc esse: accusative and infinitive as subject, 'it is good that we are here'. tria tabernācula: 'three tents' or booths, perhaps recalling the Feast of Tabernacles.

Mc 9.5Nōn enim sciēbat quid dīceret: erant enim timōre exterritī.

For he did not know what he should say: for they were terrified with fear.

Note. quid dīceret: indirect question. timōre exterritī: 'terrified with fear', a pleonasm for emphasis.

Mc 9.6Et facta est nūbēs obumbrāns eōs: et vēnit vōx dē nūbe, dīcēns: Hic est Fīlius meus cārissimus: audīte illum.

And a cloud came about, overshadowing them: and a voice came from the cloud, saying: This is my dearest Son: hear him.

Note. facta est nūbēs: 'a cloud came about'; in the Old Testament a cloud marks God's presence. cārissimus: 'dearest, beloved'.

Mc 9.7Et statim circumspicientēs, nēminem amplius vīdērunt, nisi Iēsum tantum sēcum.

And at once, looking around, they saw no one any more, except Jesus only with them.

Note. nisi Iēsum tantum: 'except Jesus only'.

Mc 9.8Et dēscendentibus illīs dē monte, praecēpit illīs nē cuiquam quae vīdissent, narrārent: nisi cum Fīlius hominis ā mortuīs resurrēxerit.

And as they were coming down from the mountain, he ordered them that they should tell to no one the things which they had seen, except when the Son of man shall have risen again from the dead.

Note. dēscendentibus illīs: ablative absolute with a present participle, 'as they were coming down'. nē cuiquam … narrārent: indirect command. resurrēxerit: perfect subjunctive standing for a future perfect in a dependent clause.

Mc 9.9Et verbum continuērunt apud sē: conquīrentēs quid esset, cum ā mortuīs resurrēxerit.

And they held the word among themselves, disputing what it might be, when he shall have risen from the dead.

Note. verbum continuērunt apud sē: 'they kept the saying to themselves'. quid esset: indirect question, 'what it might be'.

Mc 9.10Et interrogābant eum, dīcentēs: Quid ergō dīcunt pharisaeī et scrībae, quia Ēliam oportet venīre prīmum?

And they were asking him, saying: What then do the Pharisees and scribes say, that Elias must come first?

Note. Quid ergō dīcunt …, quia …: 'why then do they say that …'. Ēliam oportet venīre prīmum: Malachi 4:5.

Mc 9.11Quī respondēns, ait illīs: Ēliās cum vēnerit prīmō, restituet omnia: et quōmodo scrīptum est in Fīlium hominis, ut multa patiātur et contemnātur.

He, answering, said to them: Elias, when he shall have come first, will restore all things: and how it has been written about the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be despised.

Note. restituet omnia: Elijah's task in Malachi was to restore. quōmodo scrīptum est …, ut …: 'how is it written … that he must suffer'.

Mc 9.12Sed dīcō vōbīs quia et Ēliās vēnit (et fēcērunt illī quaecumque voluērunt) sīcut scrīptum est dē eō.

But I say to you that Elias too has come (and they did to him whatever things they wished), just as it has been written about him.

Note. et Ēliās vēnit: Jesus means John the Baptist, killed by Herod (chapter 6).

Mc 9.13Et veniēns ad discipulōs suōs, vīdit turbam magnam circā eōs, et scrībās conquīrentēs cum illīs.

And coming to his disciples, he saw a great crowd around them, and scribes disputing with them.

Note. conquīrentēs cum illīs: 'disputing with them'.

Mc 9.14Et cōnfestim omnis populus vidēns Iēsum, stupefactus est, et expāvērunt, et accurrentēs salūtābant eum.

And immediately all the people, seeing Jesus, were stunned, and took fright, and running up they were greeting him.

Note. stupefactus est … expāvērunt: the singular populus is followed by a plural verb, agreement by sense.

Mc 9.15Et interrogāvit eōs: Quid inter vōs conquīritis?

And he asked them: What are you disputing among yourselves?

Mc 9.16Et respondēns ūnus dē turbā, dīxit: Magister, attulī fīlium meum ad tē habentem spīritum mūtum:

And one from the crowd, answering, said: Master, I have brought my son to you, having a mute spirit:

Note. Magister: 'Teacher', the usual address to Jesus in the Vulgate. spīritum mūtum: 'a mute spirit', one that makes him unable to speak.

Mc 9.17quī ubicumque eum apprehenderit, allīdit illum, et spūmat, et strīdet dentibus, et ārēscit: et dīxī discipulīs tuīs ut ēiicerent illum, et nōn potuērunt.

which, wherever it shall have seized him, dashes him down, and he foams, and gnashes with his teeth, and dries up: and I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out, and they could not.

Note. ubicumque … apprehenderit: future perfect, 'wherever it seizes him'. The symptoms (falling, foam, grinding teeth, rigidity) are those of what we would call epilepsy.

Mc 9.18Quī respondēns eīs, dīxit: Ō generātiō incrēdula, quamdiū apud vōs erō? quamdiū vōs patiar? afferte illum ad mē.

He, answering them, said: O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I endure you? bring him to me.

Note. Ō generātiō incrēdula: vocative. quamdiū: 'how long?'

Mc 9.19Et attulērunt eum. Et cum vīdisset eum, statim spīritus conturbāvit illum: et ēlīsus in terram, volūtābātur spūmāns.

And they brought him. And when he had seen him, at once the spirit threw him into confusion: and dashed on the ground, he was rolling about foaming.

Note. cum vīdisset eum: the subject is the spirit. ēlīsus in terram: 'dashed to the ground'. volūtābātur: passive with middle sense, 'he kept rolling about'.

Mc 9.20Et interrogāvit patrem eius: Quantum temporis est ex quō eī hoc accidit? At ille ait: Ab īnfantiā:

And he asked his father: How much of time is it since this happened to him? But he says: From infancy:

Note. Quantum temporis: partitive genitive, 'how much (of) time'. ex quō: 'since'. Ab īnfantiā: 'from childhood'.

Mc 9.21et frequenter eum in ignem, et in aquās mīsit ut eum perderet: sed sī quid potes, adiuvā nōs, misertus nostrī.

and often it has sent him into fire, and into waters, so that it might destroy him: but if you can do anything, help us, having pitied us.

Note. sī quid potes: quid indefinite after sī, 'if you can do anything'. misertus nostrī: deponent perfect participle with active meaning, 'having pity on us', with the genitive nostrī.

Mc 9.22Iēsus autem ait illī: Sī potes crēdere, omnia possibilia sunt crēdentī.

But Jesus says to him: If you can believe, all things are possible to one believing.

Note. Sī potes crēdere: Jesus picks up the father's sī quid potes. crēdentī: dative of the present participle, 'to one who believes'.

Mc 9.23Et continuō exclāmāns pater puerī, cum lacrimīs aiēbat: Crēdō, Domine; adiuvā incrēdulitātem meam.

And at once crying out, the father of the boy was saying with tears: I believe, Lord; help my unbelief.

Note. aiēbat: imperfect of āiō. adiuvā incrēdulitātem meam: 'help my unbelief', i.e. help me where my faith fails.

Mc 9.24Et cum vidēret Iēsus concurrentem turbam, comminātus est spīrituī immundō, dīcēns illī: Surde et mūte spīritus, ego praecipiō tibi, exī ab eō: et amplius nē introëās in eum.

And when Jesus saw the crowd running together, he warned the unclean spirit sternly, saying to it: Deaf and mute spirit, I command you, go out from him: and no more enter into him.

Note. Surde et mūte spīritus: vocatives, but spīritus keeps the nominative form (fourth declension). nē introeās: nē + present subjunctive, a negative command. The diaeresis in introëās shows that e and a are separate vowels.

Mc 9.25Et exclāmāns, et multum discerpēns eum, exiit ab eō, et factus est sīcut mortuus, ita ut multī dīcerent: Quia mortuus est.

And crying out, and tearing him much, it went out from him, and he became like a dead man, so that many were saying: He is dead.

Note. Quia mortuus est: recitative quia, 'He is dead'.

Mc 9.26Iēsus autem tenēns manum eius ēlevāvit eum, et surrēxit.

But Jesus, holding his hand, lifted him, and he rose up.

Note. tenēns manum eius: 'taking hold of his hand'. surrēxit: 'he stood up', the same verb used of rising from the dead.

Mc 9.27Et cum introīsset in domum, discipulī eius sēcrētō interrogābant eum: Quārē nōs nōn potuimus ēiicere eum?

And when he had entered into the house, his disciples were asking him in secret: Why could we not cast it out?

Note. sēcrētō: adverb, 'privately'. Quārē nōs nōn potuimus: the disciples had been given power over spirits in chapter 6.

Mc 9.28Et dīxit illīs: Hoc genus in nūllō potest exīre, nisi in ōrātiōne et iēiūniō.

And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.

Note. in nūllō … nisi in ōrātiōne: in + ablative of means, a Hebrew-style use ('by nothing except by prayer'). Some early manuscripts lack et iēiūniō.

Mc 9.29Et inde profectī praetergrediēbantur Galilaeam: nec volēbat quemquam scīre.

And setting out from there they were passing through Galilee: nor did he wish anyone to know.

Note. praetergrediēbantur: deponent, 'were passing through'. nec volēbat quemquam scīre: 'and he did not want anyone to know'.

Mc 9.30Docēbat autem discipulōs suōs, et dīcēbat illīs: Quoniam Fīlius hominis trādētur in manūs hominum, et occīdent eum, et occīsus tertiā diē resurget.

But he was teaching his disciples, and was saying to them: The Son of man will be handed over into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and having been killed he will rise again on the third day.

Note. Quoniam Fīlius hominis trādētur: recitative quoniam. trādētur in manūs: 'will be handed over into the hands'. tertiā diē: ablative of time when.

Mc 9.31At illī ignōrābant verbum: et timēbant interrogāre eum.

But they did not know the word: and they were afraid to ask him.

Note. ignōrābant verbum: 'did not understand the saying'.

Mc 9.32Et vēnērunt Capharnaum. Quī cum domī essent, interrogābat eōs: Quid in viā trāctābātis?

And they came to Capharnaum. And when they were at home, he was asking them: What were you discussing on the road?

Note. Capharnaum: indeclinable, accusative of place to which. domī: locative, 'at home', here 'in the house'.

Mc 9.33At illī tacēbant: sīquidem in viā inter sē disputāvērunt: quis eōrum maior esset.

But they were silent: since on the road they had disputed among themselves which of them was greater.

Note. sīquidem: 'since indeed'. quis eōrum maior esset: indirect question; maior, 'greater', is used where English says 'the greatest'.

Mc 9.34Et residēns vocāvit duodecim, et ait illīs: Sī quis vult prīmus esse, erit omnium novissimus, et omnium minister.

And sitting down he called the twelve, and says to them: If anyone wishes to be first, he will be last of all, and servant of all.

Note. duodecim: 'the Twelve', the inner circle of disciples. novissimus: superlative of novus, literally 'newest', in the Vulgate 'last'.

Mc 9.35Et accipiēns puerum, statuit eum in mediō eōrum: quem cum complexus esset, ait illīs:

And taking a boy, he set him in the middle of them: and when he had embraced him, he says to them:

Note. statuit eum in mediō: 'stood him in the middle'. quem cum complexus esset: a connecting relative followed by cum + subjunctive, 'and when he had embraced him'.

Mc 9.36Quisquis ūnum ex huiusmodī puerīs recēperit in nōmine meō, mē recipit: et quīcumque mē suscēperit, nōn mē suscipit, sed eum quī mīsit mē.

Whoever shall have received one of boys of this sort in my name, receives me: and whoever shall have taken me up, takes up not me, but him who sent me.

Note. Quisquis … recēperit: future perfect in a general relative clause. ex huiusmodī puerīs: 'of such children'. in nōmine meō: 'in my name', i.e. for my sake, as my representative.

Mc 9.37Respondit illī Iōannēs, dīcēns: Magister, vīdimus quemdam in nōmine tuō ēiicientem daemonia, quī nōn sequitur nōs, et prohibuimus eum.

John answered him, saying: Master, we saw a certain man in your name casting out demons, who does not follow us, and we forbade him.

Note. vīdimus quemdam … ēiicientem: accusative and participle after a verb of seeing. quī nōn sequitur nōs: he was not one of their group.

Mc 9.38Iēsus autem ait: Nōlīte prohibēre eum: nēmō est enim quī faciat virtūtem in nōmine meō, et possit citō male loquī dē mē:

But Jesus said: Do not forbid him: for there is no one who does a power in my name, and can quickly speak ill about me:

Note. Nōlīte prohibēre: nōlī/nōlīte + infinitive is the regular negative command, 'do not forbid'. virtūtem: here 'a mighty work, a miracle' (Greek dynamis).

Mc 9.39quī enim nōn est adversum vōs, prō vōbīs est.

for who is not against you, is for you.

Note. adversum vōs: adversum is a by-form of the preposition adversus, 'against'.

Mc 9.40Quisquis enim pōtum dederit vōbīs calicem aquae in nōmine meō, quia Chrīstī estis: āmēn dīcō vōbīs, nōn perdet mercēdem suam.

For whoever shall have given you a cup of water as drink in my name, because you are Christ's: amen I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

Note. pōtum … calicem aquae: 'a cup of water as a drink'. quia Chrīstī estis: possessive genitive, 'because you are Christ's'.

Mc 9.41Et quisquis scandalizāverit ūnum ex hīs pusillīs crēdentibus in mē: bonum est eī magis sī circumdarētur mola asināria collō eius, et in mare mitterētur.

And whoever shall have caused one of these little ones believing in me to stumble: it is better for him rather if a donkey's millstone were put around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Note. scandalizāverit: Greek skandalizein, 'make to stumble', i.e. lead into sin. bonum est eī magis sī …: 'it is better for him if …', positive adjective plus magis for a comparative, a Late Latin habit. mola asināria: a large millstone turned by a donkey.

Mc 9.42Et sī scandalizāverit tē manus tua, abscīde illam: bonum est tibi dēbilem introīre in vītam, quam duās manūs habentem īre in gehennam, in ignem inextinguibilem,

And if your hand shall have caused you to stumble, cut it off: it is good for you to enter into life weak, than having two hands to go into gehenna, into the fire that cannot be quenched,

Note. dēbilem introīre in vītam quam … īre: 'to enter life maimed than to go …'; bonum here has the force of 'better' with quam. gehenna: the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, once a place of child sacrifice and later of burning rubbish, used as a name for hell.

Mc 9.43ubi vermis eōrum nōn moritur, et ignis nōn extinguitur.

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Note. From Isaiah 66:24. Verses 43, 45 and 47 (here 118, 120, 122) repeat it as a refrain.

Mc 9.44Et sī pēs tuus tē scandalizat, amputā illum: bonum est tibi claudum introīre in vītam aeternam, quam duōs pedēs habentem mittī in gehennam ignis inextinguibilis,

And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off: it is good for you to enter lame into life eternal, than having two feet to be sent into the gehenna of fire not to be quenched,

Mc 9.45ubi vermis eōrum nōn moritur, et ignis nōn extinguitur.

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Mc 9.46Quod sī oculus tuus scandalizat tē, ēiice eum: bonum est tibi luscum introīre in regnum Deī, quam duōs oculōs habentem mittī in gehennam ignis,

But if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out: it is good for you to enter one-eyed into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be sent into the gehenna of fire,

Note. Quod sī: 'but if'. luscum: 'one-eyed'.

Mc 9.47ubi vermis eōrum nōn moritur, et ignis nōn extinguitur.

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Mc 9.48Omnis enim igne saliētur, et omnis victima sale saliētur.

For everyone will be salted with fire, and every victim will be salted with salt.

Note. igne saliētur: 'will be salted with fire'. The saying is obscure: under the Law every sacrifice (victima) was salted (Leviticus 2:13), so salt and fire may stand for testing and purifying.

Mc 9.49Bonum est sāl: quod sī sāl īnsulsum fuerit, in quō illud condiētis? Habēte in vōbīs sāl, et pācem habēte inter vōs.

Salt is good: but if the salt shall have been unsalted, in what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among you.

Note. īnsulsum fuerit: 'shall have become saltless'. in quō: 'with what?', in + ablative of means again.