· Translation: KJV

Mark 9:41For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ's, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

The setting

Capernaum, Israel. ~29 AD. Jesus teaching his disciples after they argued about greatness...

The emotion here: tender compassion after disciples' pride

The original word

misthos (μισθός) — wages earned, reward that is due, not a gift

Why it matters

A cup of water was the most basic hospitality in the ancient Near East

Read with care

What most readers miss in Mark 9:41

This follows the disciples arguing about who was greatest — Jesus flips their values completely

Common misconceptionPeople think this is about earning salvation through good works, but Jesus is teaching that God notices even the smallest acts of love done in His name.

Bible Genome reading

Mark 9:41 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJesus
Eragospel
Primary emotiongrateful
Literary typenarrative
MarkPromise of God

Emotional genome

Comfort power80%
Quotability75%
Memorability75%
Crisis relevance40%
Standalone80%
Themes:kindnessreward

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Mark 9

Mark 9:41 comes from the book of Mark, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 80% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include kindness, reward. Notable phrases: cup of water; will not lose his reward. This verse contains a promise of God.

Your reflection

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