Mark 9:34 (ASV)

Passage

But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another on the way, who [was] the greatest.

Nearby Context

Mark 9:32 But they understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Mark 9:33 And they came to Capernaum: and when he was in the house he asked them, What were ye reasoning on the way?

Mark 9:34 But they held their peace: for they had disputed one with another on the way, who [was] the greatest.

Mark 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve; and he saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Mark 9:36 And he took a little child, and set him in the midst of them: and taking him in his arms, he said unto them,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "held", "peace", "disputed", "another", and "greatest". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "held" and "peace", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 33's "And they came to Capernaum and when..." into verse 35's "And he sat down and called the...", so "held" and "peace" belong inside that flow. In Mark context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "held" and "peace" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.