For whoever is not against us is on our side.
Parallel Translations
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For whoever is not against us is on our side.
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Whosoever is not agaynste you is on youre parte.
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For whosoeuer is not against vs, is on our part.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (2)
Passages linked to Mark 9:40 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 12:30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
- Luke 11:23 “He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 40 For he that is not against us is…
40 For he that is not against us is on our part.
Ver. 40. Is on our part] Is to be esteemed among such as favour me in this furious age.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For he that is not against us, is on…
For he that is not against us, is on our part. Many copies read, "he that is not against you, is for you"; as this man; he was not against either Christ, or his disciples; he was doing the same work, promoting the same interest, and destroying the kingdom of Satan: and therefore, though he did not follow them, and had not his commission immediately from Christ; yet, inasmuch as he was opposing the same common enemy, and did nothing against them, he ought to be reckoned as one for them, and on their side. It is a proverbial expression, signifying that all that are not against a man, and take not the part of his enemy, are to be accounted his friends.
For he that is not against us, is on our part. Many copies read, "he that is not against you, is for you"; as this man; he was not against either Christ, or his disciples; he was doing the same work, promoting the same interest, and destroying the kingdom of Satan: and therefore, though he did not follow them, and had not his commission immediately from Christ; yet, inasmuch as he was opposing the same common enemy, and did nothing against them, he ought to be reckoned as one for them, and on their side. It is a proverbial expression, signifying that all that are not against a man, and take not the part of his enemy, are to be accounted his friends.
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Mark 9:41
mar 9:41
mar 9:41
mar 9:41For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink,.... Not only one that does a miracle in the name of Christ, but he that shows the least respect, or does the least kindness to any one of his; See Gill on Mat 10:42; is to be reckoned a friend, and is so accounted by Christ; and will be sooner or later taken notice of by him, especially, if what he does, be it ever so little, is done on his account:
in my name, because ye belong to Christ; or as the Syriac version renders it, "on account that ye are Christ's"; are his disciples, are called by his name, are partakers of his grace, bear his image and likeness, are loved by him, interested in him, given to him, redeemed by him called by his grace, and shall be with him:
verily l say unto you, he shall not lose his reward; See Gill on Mat 10:42.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain For he that is not against you, is for…
For he that is not against you, is for you - Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 40. He that is not against us, is…
Verse 40. He that is not against us, is on our part.] Or rather, Whosoever is not against YOU, is for YOU. Instead of ημων, us, I would read υμων, you, on the authority of ADSHV, upwards of forty others, Syriac, Armenian, Persic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate, Itala, Victor, and Opt. This reading is more consistent with the context - He followed not us-well, he is not against YOU; and he who is not against you, in such a work, may be fairly presumed to be on your side.
There is a parallel case to this mentioned in Nu 11:26-29, which, for the elucidation of this passage, I will transcribe. "The Spirit rested upon Eldad and Medad, and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua, the servant of Moses, said, My lord Moses, forbid them! And Moses said unto him, Enviest THOU for MY sake? Would God, that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them." The reader will easily observe that Joshua and John were of the same bigoted spirit; and that Jesus and Moses acted from the spirit of candour and benevolence. See the notes on Nu 11:25-29.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Here we may find that no one, however poor,…
Here we may find that no one, however poor, can be excused from good works; since there is no one who is not able to give at least a cup of cold water; and we are assured that he will not lose his reward. (Nicholas of Lyra)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 40. He that is not against us — Every…
40. He that is not against us — Every expeller of demons that works separately from us must be held to be on our part, unless he is against us. He who thus is not against us is on our side.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain For he that is not against us is for…
For he that is not against us is for us. In St. Matthew (Mat_12:30) we find our Lord using a somewhat similar expression, only in an inverted order. He there says, "He that is not with me is against me." The lesson which both these apothegms teach is the same, that there is no such thing as neutrality in reference to Christ and his cause. We must be either with him or against him. Dr. Morison on St. Mark in this place says, "When in applied morals we sit in judgment on ourselves, we should in ordinary circumstances apply the law obversely and stringently," he who is not with Christ is against him." But when we are sitting in judgment on others, into whose hearts we cannot look directly, we should in ordinary circumstances apply the law reversely and generously, "He that is not against Christ is with him.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 is not against us
is not against us
"is not opposing us"
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is for us
It can be explained clearly what this means. AT: "is trying to achieve the same goals that we are"
gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ
Jesus speaks about giving someone a cup of water as an example of how one person may help another. This is a metaphor for helping someone in any way. (See: Metaphor)
not lose
This negative sentence emphasizes the positive meaning. In some languages, it is more natural to use a positive statement. AT: "definitely receive" (See: Litotes)
translationWords
Christ
amen
reward
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 9:40 The negative parallel to this proverb is found…
9:40 The negative parallel to this proverb is found in Luke 11:23. These two proverbs should be understood as complementary, not contradictory, for Luke includes them both (Luke 9:50; 11:23). The exorcist casting out demons in Jesus’ name was not against Jesus, but for him.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.