Mark 9:21 (DBY)

Passage

And he asked his father, How long a time is it that it has been like this with him? And he said, From childhood;

Nearby Context

Mark 9:19 But he answering them says, O unbelieving generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him to me.

Mark 9:20 And they brought him to him. And seeing him the spirit immediately tore him; and falling upon the earth he rolled foaming.

Mark 9:21 And he asked his father, How long a time is it that it has been like this with him? And he said, From childhood;

Mark 9:22 and often it has cast him both into fire and into waters that it might destroy him: but if thou couldst [do] anything, be moved with pity on us, and help us.

Mark 9:23 And Jesus said to him, The 'if thou couldst' is [if thou couldst] believe: all things are possible to him that believes.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "asked", "father", "long", "time", "been", "like", "said", and "childhood". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "asked" and "father", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "And they brought him to him And..." into verse 22's "and often it has cast him both...", so "asked" and "father" 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 "asked" and "father" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.