Mark 9:37 (DRB)

Passage

John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us: and we forbade him.

Nearby Context

Mark 9:35 And taking a child, he set him in the midst of them. Whom when he had embraced, he saith to them:

Mark 9:36 Whosoever shall receive one such child as this in my name receiveth me. And whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me.

Mark 9:37 John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us: and we forbade him.

Mark 9:38 But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name and can soon speak ill of me.

Mark 9:39 For he that is not against you is for you.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "john", "answered", "saying", "master", "casting", "devils", "name", and "followeth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "john" and "answered", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 36's "Whosoever shall receive one such child as..." into verse 38's "But Jesus said Do not forbid him...", so "john" and "answered" 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 "john" and "answered" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.