Mark 9:40 (GNV)

Passage

For whosoeuer is not against vs, is on our part.

Nearby Context

Mark 9:38 Then Iohn answered him, saying, Master, we sawe one casting out deuils by thy Name, which followeth not vs, and we forbade him, because he followeth vs not.

Mark 9:39 But Iesus sayd, Forbid him not: for there is no man that can doe a miracle by my Name, that can lightly speake euill of me.

Mark 9:40 For whosoeuer is not against vs, is on our part.

Mark 9:41 And whosoeuer shall giue you a cup of water to drinke for my Names sake, because ye belong to Christ, verely I say vnto you, he shall not lose his rewarde.

Mark 9:42 And whosoeuer shall offend one of these litle ones, that beleeue in me, it were better for him rather, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and that he were cast into the sea.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whosoeuer", "against", and "part". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whosoeuer" and "against", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 39's "But Iesus sayd Forbid him not for..." into verse 41's "And whosoeuer shall giue you a cup...", so "whosoeuer" and "against" 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 "whosoeuer" and "against" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.