What Does Mark 9:38 Mean in the King James?
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
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 work is done in Jesus’ name, yet John measures it by whether the worker belongs to his own circle.
THE MEANING
This verse catches the moment when you see someone being freed and your attention shifts to whether that person belongs to your circle. “In thy name” points to the character and authority the action invokes; “he followeth not us” reveals the boundary the speaker is guarding. The verse brings that tension into view now.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
An act cannot carry Jesus’ authority unless its worker belongs to our group.
THE ROOT
ὄνομα
onoma
GROWS FROM
ὀνομ-
onom-
Name or designation, carrying the identity, reputation, or authority associated with the one named.
Here, “name” is more than a spoken label: it carries the identity and authority represented by the one named. The man acts in Jesus’ name, while John’s objection centers on whether he belongs to “us.”
ALSO GROWS
onomazō: To name or call by name.
ὀνομάζω
Naming invokes or identifies a person; the verse links the act to Jesus even though its actor stands outside John’s group.
onomastos: Named, renowned, or well known.
ὀνομαστός
A name can carry public identity and reputation; here the action is associated with Jesus, not with the group claiming the right to judge it.
ἐκωλύομεν
ekōlyomen
GROWS FROM
κωλυ- (kōly-), from κωλύω (kōlyō)
To hinder, restrain, or prevent.
“forbad” in this verse is ekōlyomen. John’s report describes an act of hindering, not just a disagreement about belonging. Jesus uses the same verb in the next verse when he says not to forbid the man, making that verb the hinge of the exchange.
ALSO GROWS
kōlyma: An obstacle or hindrance.
κώλυμα
John’s boundary becomes an obstacle placed in the way of another person’s act.
akōlytōs: Without hindrance or obstruction.
ἀκωλύτως
This related form appears at the close of Acts, where the message moves without obstruction, the opposite of the restraint John describes.
THE PATTERN
God’s work is not contained by the group that first recognizes it.
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!But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.THE THREAD
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.The Greek closes with ἀκωλύτως (akōlytōs), meaning “without hindrance,” built from the same κωλυ- (kōly-) root as John’s “forbad.” The shared root opens a contrast between obstructing another person’s work and the message moving unobstructed.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us