Mark 9:20
New International Version
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

New Living Translation
So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

English Standard Version
And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

Berean Standard Bible
So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Berean Literal Bible
And they brought him to Him. And having seen Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and having fallen upon the ground, he began rolling around, foaming.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

New American Standard Bible
And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

NASB 1995
They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

NASB 1977
And they brought the boy to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling about and foaming at the mouth.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around, foaming at the mouth.

Amplified Bible
They brought the boy to Him. When the [demonic] spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion, and falling to the ground he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

Christian Standard Bible
So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

American Standard Version
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

Contemporary English Version
They brought the boy, and as soon as the demon saw Jesus, it made the boy shake all over. He fell down and began rolling on the ground and foaming at the mouth.

English Revised Version
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground, rolled around, and foamed at the mouth.

Good News Translation
They brought him to Jesus. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit, so that he fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

International Standard Version
So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground and kept rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

Majority Standard Bible
So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

NET Bible
So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

New Heart English Bible
They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they brought him to him: and when he saw him, immediately the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed, foaming.

Weymouth New Testament
So they brought him to Jesus. And the spirit, when he saw Jesus, immediately threw the youth into convulsions, so that he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

World English Bible
They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they brought him to Him, and he having seen Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he, having fallen on the earth, was wallowing—foaming.

Berean Literal Bible
And they brought him to Him. And having seen Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and having fallen upon the ground, he began rolling around, foaming.

Young's Literal Translation
and they brought him unto him, and he having seen him, immediately the spirit tare him, and he, having fallen upon the earth, was wallowing -- foaming.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they brought him to him: and having seen him, quickly the spirit rent him; and having fallen upon the earth, foaming he rolled himself about.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit disturbed him. And having been thrown to the ground, he rolled around foaming.

New American Bible
They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth.

New Revised Standard Version
And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they brought the boy to Jesus; and when the spirit seized him, it immediately troubled him; and he fell on the ground, gasping and foaming.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they brought him to him, and when the spirit saw him, immediately he threw him and he fell on the ground and he was convulsed and he foamed.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they brought him to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions; and he fell on the ground, and rolled himself, foaming.

Godbey New Testament
And they brought him to Him; and seeing Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him; and falling on the ground, he continued to wallow, foaming.

Haweis New Testament
And they brought him unto him. And seeing him, instantly the spirit threw him into convulsions; and falling to the ground, he rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

Mace New Testament
so he was brought to him, and as soon as he saw him, the spirit threw him into convulsions, and he fell upon the ground, where he wallowed foaming.

Weymouth New Testament
So they brought him to Jesus. And the spirit, when he saw Jesus, immediately threw the youth into convulsions, so that he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

Worrell New Testament
And they brought him to Him. And, seeing Him, the spirit straightway convulsed him; and, falling upon the ground, he was wallowing, foaming.

Worsley New Testament
And they brought him to Him: and as soon as he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into convulsions: and he fell upon the ground, and rolled about foming.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boy with an Evil Spirit
19“O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” 20So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said.…

Cross References
Matthew 17:14-18
When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him. / “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. / I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.” ...

Luke 9:37-42
The next day, when they came down from the mountain, Jesus was met by a large crowd. / Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child. / A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him. ...

Matthew 12:22
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

Luke 11:14
One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,

Matthew 4:24
News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them.

Luke 4:33-35
In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon. He cried out in a loud voice, / “Ha! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” / But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” At this, the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without harming him.

Acts 16:16-18
One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. / This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” / She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

Acts 19:13-16
Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.” / Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. / But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ...

Matthew 8:16
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

Luke 8:27-29
When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothing or lived in a house, but he stayed in the tombs. / When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, shouting in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You not to torture me!” / For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Matthew 15:22
And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”

Luke 7:21
At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind.

John 4:48
Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”

Acts 5:16
Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

1 Samuel 16:14-23
Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him. / Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you. / Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

the spirit.

Mark 9:18,26
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 1:26
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

Mark 5:3-5
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: …

Jump to Previous
Boy Convulsed Convulsion Convulsions Earth Fallen Falling Fell Foaming Grievously Ground Immediately Jesus Lips Mouth Rolled Rolling Spirit Straight Straightway Streaming Tare Threw Tore Violent Wallowed Wallowing Youth
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Boy Convulsed Convulsion Convulsions Earth Fallen Falling Fell Foaming Grievously Ground Immediately Jesus Lips Mouth Rolled Rolling Spirit Straight Straightway Streaming Tare Threw Tore Violent Wallowed Wallowing Youth
Mark 9
1. Jesus is transfigured.
11. He instructs his disciples concerning the coming of Elijah;
14. casts forth a deaf and mute spirit;
30. foretells his death and resurrection;
33. exhorts his disciples to humility;
38. bidding them not to prohibit such as are not against them,
42. nor to give offense to any of the faithful.














So they brought the boy to Him
This phrase sets the stage for a divine encounter. The act of bringing the boy to Jesus signifies faith and hope in His healing power. In the Greek, the word for "brought" (ἤνεγκαν) implies carrying or leading with purpose. This reflects the desperation and trust of the boy's caretakers, who believed that Jesus was the ultimate source of healing. Historically, this act of bringing someone to a healer was common, but bringing him to Jesus was an acknowledgment of His unique authority and compassion.

When the spirit saw Jesus
The phrase highlights the spiritual realm's recognition of Jesus' authority. The Greek word for "saw" (εἶδεν) indicates more than just physical sight; it suggests perception and understanding. The spirit's reaction upon seeing Jesus underscores the power and holiness of Christ, which even the demonic forces cannot ignore. This moment is a testament to the spiritual warfare that is often unseen but very real, and it emphasizes Jesus' supremacy over all spiritual entities.

it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion
The word "immediately" (εὐθὺς) is frequently used in Mark's Gospel to convey urgency and action. Here, it underscores the spirit's violent reaction to Jesus' presence. The Greek term for "convulsion" (σπαράσσω) describes a severe shaking or tearing, indicating the spirit's malicious intent to harm the boy. This reflects the destructive nature of evil and the chaos it brings into human lives. Yet, it also sets the stage for Jesus' intervention and the restoration He brings.

He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth
This vivid description of the boy's condition illustrates the severity of his affliction. The physical manifestations of the spiritual oppression are stark and distressing. The act of falling (πίπτειν) and rolling (κυλίεσθαι) conveys a loss of control, symbolizing how sin and evil can dominate a person's life. The foaming (ἀφρίζω) is a sign of the boy's helplessness and the spirit's grip on him. This scene evokes compassion and a longing for deliverance, which Jesus is about to provide, demonstrating His power to restore order and peace where there is chaos and suffering.

(20) He fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.--Another graphic touch found only in St. Mark.

Verse 20. - And they brought him unto him. The father, it would seem, was not able of himself to bring him, so fierce and violent were the paroxysms of the disorder. And when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him (συνεσπέραξεν) - it might be rendered, convulsed him - grievously. Observe the Greek construction (καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν τὸ πνεῦμα), masculine participle with neuter noun. The sight of Christ stirred the evil spirit dwelling in the child. He was irritated by the presence of Christ; for he knew his power, and feared lest he should be cast out. Then came the last and most violent convulsion. He wallowed foaming. The word "to wallow" is probably from the Latin volvo. He rolled about in his agony. St. Gregory, quoted by Trench ('Miracles,' p. 397), shows how true all this is to nature; and that "the expulsion of a deadly evil from our spiritual being is not accomplished without a terrible struggle, followed in some cases by extreme prostration."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they brought
ἤνεγκαν (ēnenkan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 5342: To carry, bear, bring; I conduct, lead; perhaps: I make publicly known. A primary verb.

him,
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

seeing
ἰδὼν (idōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

[Jesus],
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

spirit
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

immediately
εὐθὺς (euthys)
Adverb
Strong's 2112: Immediately, soon, at once. Adverb from euthus; directly, i.e. At once or soon.

threw [the boy] into a convulsion.
συνεσπάραξεν (synesparaxen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4952: To throw violently on the ground. From sun and sparasso; to rend completely, i.e. to convulse violently.

He fell
πεσὼν (pesōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4098: A reduplicated and contracted form of peto; probably akin to petomai through the idea of alighting; to fall.

to
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

ground
γῆς (gēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

[and] rolled around,
ἐκυλίετο (ekylieto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2947: To roll, roll along, wallow. From the base of kuma; to roll about.

foaming at the mouth.
ἀφρίζων (aphrizōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 875: To foam (at the mouth), froth. From aphros; to froth at the mouth.


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NT Gospels: Mark 9:20 They brought him to him and when (Mar Mk Mr)
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