What Does Mark 9:16 Mean in the King James?
And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verb translated “question” keeps a search inside the dispute: the people are seeking together, even as they contend.
THE MEANING
Jesus asks the scribes to name what they are disputing with the disciples. The question brings the contention into view, making its subject speakable.
THE ROOT
συζητεῖτε
syzēteite
GROWS FROM
ζητέω (zēteō, “seek”), joined with σύν (syn, “together”)
Seek or look for; in this compound, seek together, discuss, or dispute.
The English “question” can sound like a neutral request for information, but συζητέω (syzēteō, “seek together; discuss or dispute”) names an exchange that can become contentious. The shared search remains inside the argument: disagreement is the shape their seeking takes here.
ALSO GROWS
syzēteō: Discuss or dispute; literally, seek together.
συζητέω
This is the verb behind the verse’s “question,” showing how a shared exchange can take the form of an argument.
epizēteō: Seek after or earnestly seek.
ἐπιζητέω
It keeps the same ζητέω (zēteō, “seek”) root, showing the search that remains beneath the verse’s compounded dispute.
THE PATTERN
A direct question brings a hidden state into speech.
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?THE THREAD
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.The Greek συζητοῦντας (syzētountas, “questioning or disputing”) in verse 14 and συζητεῖτε (syzēteite, “question or dispute”) in verse 16 are forms of συζητέω (syzēteō, “seek together; discuss or dispute”). Verse 14 shows the argument around the disciples; verse 16 asks the scribes to name its subject.
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