Mark 9:21 (DRB)

Passage

And oftentimes hath he cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do any thing, help us, having compassion on us.

Nearby Context

Mark 9:19 And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit troubled him and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled about foaming.

Mark 9:20 And he asked his father: How long time is it since this hath happened unto him? But he sad: From his infancy.

Mark 9:21 And oftentimes hath he cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do any thing, help us, having compassion on us.

Mark 9:22 And Jesus saith to him: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mark 9:23 And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said: I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "oftentimes", "hath", "cast", "fire", "waters", "destroy", "thou", and "canst". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "oftentimes" and "hath", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "And he asked his father How long..." into verse 22's "And Jesus saith to him If thou...", so "oftentimes" and "hath" 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 "oftentimes" and "hath" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.