SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:23
Y Jesús le dijo: Si puedes creer esto, al que cree todo es posible.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 9:23
Verse 23. If THOU canst BELIEVE] This was an answer to the inquiry above. I can furnish a sufficiency of power, if thou canst but bring faith to receive it. Why are not our souls completely healed? Why is not every demon cast out? Why are not pride, self-will, love of the world, lust, anger, peevishness, with all the other bad tempers and dispositions which constitute the mind of Satan, entirely destroyed? Alas! it is because we do not believe; Jesus is able; more, Jesus is willing; but we are not willing to give up our idols; we give not credence to his word; therefore hath sin a being in us, and dominion over us.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe , etc..] As the man put an “if” on the power of Christ, Christ puts an “if” on the faith of the man; and tacitly suggests, that power was not wanting in himself, but faith in him; and should that cure not be performed, it would not be owing to any inability in him, but to his own incredulity. The Arabic version renders it, “what is this thy: saying, if thou canst do any thing?” What dost thou mean by it? Thou oughtest not to doubt of my power; there is no reason for it, after so many miracles wrought; upbraiding the man with his unbelief; and the Ethiopic version renders it thus, “because thou sayest, if thou canst”: wherefore to show that power was not wanting in him, provided he had but faith, it follows, all things are possible to him that believeth ; that is, “to be done” to him, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions supply: for all things are not possible to be done by the believer himself, but all things are possible to be done for him, by God, or Christ, or the Spirit of God: thus our Lord, as he elsewhere does, ascribes that to faith, which is done by a divine power.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-29 - The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou cans believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, the spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must loo up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Sata is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause his all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more tha ordinary pains.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ιησους 2424 N-NSM ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτω 846 P-DSM το 3588 T-NSN ει 1487 COND δυνασαι 1410 5736 V-PNI-2S πιστευσαι 4100 5658 V-AAN παντα 3956 A-NPN δυνατα 1415 A-NPN τω 3588 T-DSM πιστευοντι 4100 5723 V-PAP-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
23. If thou canst believe (to ei dunh). Lit., the if thou canst. The word believe is wanting in the best texts. It is difficult to explain to an English reader the force of the definite article here. "It takes up substantially the word spoken by the father, and puts it with lively emphasis, without connecting it with the further construction, in order to link its fulfilment to the petitioner's own faith" (Meyer). We might paraphrase thus. Jesus said: "that if thou canst of thine - as regards that, all things are possible," etc. There is a play upon the words dunh, canst, and dunata, possible, which cannot be neatly rendered. "If thou canst - all things can be."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:23 {If thou canst} (to ei dunei). The Greek has a neat idiom not preserved in the English translation. The article takes up the very words of the man and puts the clause in the accusative case of general reference. "As to the 'if thou canst,' all things can (dunata) to the one who believes." The word for "possible" is dunata, the same root as dunei (canst). this quick turn challenges the father's faith. On this use of the Greek article see Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 766.
