A woman brings her epileptic son to Jesus and describes his fits.
Mark 9:23 If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:23 If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes.
If you have power, all things are possible for the one trusting.
To truly trust the Divine, we must see and feel the highest truth.
The verbs that start and end this verse are consistently confusing in the way they are translated into English.
The word translated as "can" in the first clause is not a helping verb, but one that means "to have power." See this article.
The punchline of this verse is also confusing. When we read "believe" in the Bible, we tend to think that the point is religious faith, but the original Greek word used has a broader meaning, from trust to confidence. It primarily, however, means trusting someone and their words. See this article.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb, but the active verb in the sentence.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "believe" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "him."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "believe" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "believe" is not an active verb but a participle, "trusting."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb, but the active verb in the sentence.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "who" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "believes" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "believes" is not an active verb but a participle, "trusting."
If -- The "if" here expresses a condition but it means nothing regarding whether that condition is met or not. It also means "if ever" and "whenever."
thou -- This word comes from the form of the second-person, singular form of the verb.
canst --- (CW) The word translated as "can" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. This is the active verb here, not a helper verb. It takes an infinitive as "have the ability" does in English. See this article.
believe, -- -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "believe" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
all-- The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way", "on every side," and "altogether."
things -- This is from the neutral, plural form of the previous word.
are -- This word doesn't exist in the Greek. However, it is implied by the two words together ("all" and "possible") in the form of a subject.
possible -- Possible" is from an adjective which means "strong", "mighty", "possible," and "practicable." This is the adjective form of the previous verb. Its noun form usually translated as "power." Power is what makes things possible.
to - -- The form of the following words requires the addition of a preposition in English to capture its meaning, a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, and an "in" for area of effect.
him -- (CW) The word translated as "him" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
that -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that" in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
believeth. -- (CW, WF) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words. The "beleive" is not an active verb but a participle, "trusting." See this article.
If -- The "if" here expresses a condition but it means nothing regarding whether that condition is met or not. It also means "if ever" and "whenever."
you -- This word comes from the form of the second-person, singular form of the verb.
can--- (CW) The word translated as "can" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. This is the active verb here, not a helper verb. It takes an infinitive as "have the ability" does in English. See this article.
Everything --The word translated as "everything " is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way", "on every side," and "altogether."
is -- This word doesn't exist in the Greek. However, it is implied by the two words together ("all" and "possible") in the form of a subject.
possible -- Possible" is from an adjective which means "strong", "mighty", "possible," and "practicable." This is the adjective form of the previous verb. Its noun form usually translated as "power." Power is what makes things possible.
for - -- The form of the following words requires the addition of a preposition in English to capture its meaning, a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, and an "in" for area of effect.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
one -- The word translated as "one" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
who-- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "who" in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
believes. -- (CW, WF) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words. The "beleive" is not an active verb but a participle, "trusting." See this article.
Εἰ [90 verses](conj) "If" is ei, which is the particle used to express conditions "if" (implying nothing about its fulfillment) or indirect questions, "whether." It also means "if ever," "in case," and "whenever." In citing a fact, it can mean "as sure as" or "since." It is combined with various conjunctions to create derivative conditions. When appearing as εἰ δὲ (literally, "if however") the sense is "if this...then that." The construction εἰ δὲ μή . . means "otherwise." The construction εἰ οὖν has the sense of "if so." However, it is also used to express a wish. After verbs of wonder, delight, indignation, disappointment, contentment, and similar emotions, it is use instead of ὅτι, to express the object of the feeling in a hypothetical form, "that" with the indicative (not subjunctive). With the future tense, it is used for emphasis, a warning, or an intention.
δύνῃ, [61 verses]( verb 2nd sg pres subj mp ) "Canst" is the verb, dynamai, which means "to have power by virtue of your own capabilities", "to be able," and "to be strong enough."
πάντα [212 verses]( ( adj pl neut nom) "All things" is pas, which means "all", "the whole", "every", "anyone", "all kinds," and "anything." In the adverbial form, it means "every way", "on every side", "in every way," and "altogether."
δυνατὰ [9 verses] ( adj pl neut nom) "Possible" is from dynatos, which means "strong", "mighty", "possible," and "practicable."
τῷ [821 verses] (article sg neut dat) "Him" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
πιστεύοντι.[69 verses]( part sg pres act masc dat ) "Believe"" is pisteuo, which means "to trust, put faith in, or rely on a person," "to believe in someone's words," "to comply," "to feel confident in a thing," and "to entrust in a thing."