Mark 9:38
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name, and he follows not us: and we forbade him, because he follows not us.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name, and he follows not us: and we forbade him, because he follows not us.
American Standard Version (ASV)
John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followed not us.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
John said to him, Master, we saw one driving out evil spirits in your name: and we said that he might not, because he is not one of us.
Webster's Revision
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name, and he followeth not us; and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
World English Bible
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone who doesn't follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn't follow us."
English Revised Version (ERV)
John said unto him, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name: and we forbade him, because he followed not us.
Clarke's Mark 9:38 Bible Commentary
We saw one casting out devils in thy name - It can scarcely be supposed that a man who knew nothing of Christ, or who was only a common exorcist, could be able to work a miracle in Christ's name; we may therefore safely imagine that this was either one of John the Baptist's disciples, who, at his master's command, had believed in Jesus, or one of the seventy, whom Christ had sent out, Luke 10:1-7, who, after he had fulfilled his commission, had retired from accompanying the other disciples; but as he still held fast his faith in Christ, and walked in good conscience, the influence of his Master still continued with him, so that he could cast out demons as well as the other disciples.
He followeth not us - This first clause is omitted by BCL, three others, Syriac, Armenian, Persic, Coptic, and one of the Itala. Some of the MSS. and versions leave out the first; some the second clause: only one of them is necessary. Griesbach leaves out the first.
We forbade him - I do not see that we have any right to attribute any other motive to John than that which he himself owns - because he followed not us - because he did not attach himself constantly to thee, as we do, we thought he could not be in a proper spirit.
Barnes's Mark 9:38 Bible Commentary
We saw one ... - There is no improbability in supposing that this might have been one of the disciples of John, or one of the seventy whom Jesus had sent out, and who, though he did not "personally" attend on Jesus, yet had the power of working miracles. There is no evidence that he was merely an "exorcist," or that he used the name of Jesus merely as a pretence.
Wesley's Mark 9:38 Bible Commentary
9:38 And John answered him - As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name - Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples. And we forbad him, because he followeth not us - How often is the same temper found in us?How readily do we also lust to envy? But how does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister of the benevolent Jesus!St. Paul had learnt a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Luke 9:49 .