Mark 9:18 (KJV)

Passage

And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

Nearby Context

Mark 9:16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

Mark 9:17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

Mark 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

Mark 9:19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

Mark 9:20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wheresoever", "taketh", "teareth", "foameth", "gnasheth", "teeth", "pineth", and "away". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wheresoever" and "taketh", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "And one of the multitude answered and..." into verse 19's "He answereth him and saith O faithless...", so "wheresoever" and "taketh" 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 "wheresoever" and "taketh" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.