9:28a

In some languages, it will be natural to begin this paragraph with a time word, as the Berean Standard Bible does. For example:

Afterward (New Living Translation)
-or-
Later

After Jesus had gone into the house: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as After Jesus had gone into the house refers to Jesus entering a house. The house was probably one that Jesus and the disciples stayed in that night.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

When Jesus went into a house (God’s Word)
-or-
Then Jesus went indoors (Revised English Bible)

It is implied that the disciples had gone into the house with Jesus. For example, the New Living Translation says:

when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples

9:28b

disciples: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciples means “learners” who are in a relationship with a teacher. The learners commit themselves to their teacher in order to learn from him and live according to his teaching and example. In the New Testament disciples often lived with their teacher and followed him wherever he went.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

students/learners
-or-
apprentices
-or-
followers

See how you translated this term at 2:15b or 9:14a–b. See also disciple in the Glossary.

privately: The word privately here refers to a time when Jesus was alone with his disciples. The crowd was no longer present.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

when they were by themselves
-or-
when they were alone

9:28c

Why couldn’t we drive it out?: This is a real question. The disciples wanted Jesus to tell them why they had not been able to force the spirit to leave the boy.

Here are some other ways to translate this question:

Why couldn’t we force that evil spirit out? (New Century Version)
-or-
Why could we not cause the evil spirit to stop harming/controlling the boy?

drive…out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drive…out is literally “cast/throw out.” This is the same word as in 9:18e. You should translate it the same way as you did there.

it: The pronoun it refers to the evil spirit that was last mentioned in 9:26a. Refer back to the evil spirit here in a natural way in your language.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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