Mark 9:16He asked the scribes, "What are you asking them?"
The setting
Mount Hermon region, northern Israel, ~29 AD. Jesus addresses the scribes who were interrogating His disciples, demanding to know the nature of their debate near Caesarea Philippi, Israel.
The emotion here: documenting Jesus taking control through direct questioning
The original word
eperotao (ἐπερωτάω) — formal questioning, demanding an account, not casual inquiry
Why it matters
Jesus used the same word scribes used for official religious examination
Read with care
What most readers miss in Mark 9:16
Jesus turned the tables - now HE was questioning THEM
Common misconceptionThis seems like a gentle question, but Jesus was using legal language to put the scribes on the defensive and protect His disciples.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Mark 9:16
Bible Genome reading
Mark 9:16 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Mark 9:16 comes from the book of Mark, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include inquiry, authority. Notable phrases: what are you asking.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Mark 9:16 mean to you, today?
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