Bible Strands
Mark 9:32
But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to His disciples immediately after predicting His betrayal, death, and resurrection in Mark 9:31. They are traveling toward Capernaum and have just received a direct teaching about His impending suffering.
The words — The Greek ἠγνοοῦν (ēgnooun) literally means "they were not understanding," and ἐφοβοῦντο (ephobounto) means "they were afraid." These verbs frame the disciples' cognitive failure and emotional hesitation regarding Jesus' declaration (ῥῆμα).
The thread — This sequence of uncomprehending fear recurs in Luke 2:50, Luke 9:45, and Luke 18:34, where the disciples repeatedly miss the meaning of Jesus' words until events unfold.
Why it lands — The text records that the disciples failed to grasp Jesus' prediction and feared to ask for clarification. This requires the reader to acknowledge that human comprehension does not automatically follow divine revelation, and inquiry must be pursued despite fear.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Cross-references
- Luke 2:50 But they did not understand the statement He was making to them.
- Luke 9:45 But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.
- Luke 18:34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.
- John 16:19 Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?
- John 12:16 At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.
- Mark 9:10 So they kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead.
- Mark 7:18 “Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him,
- Mark 8:17 Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?
- Mark 8:33 But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
- Mark 16:14 Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.