Mark 9:38-39

On Jesus’ Side

9:38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” 9:39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me.

Luke 9:49-50

On the Right Side

9:49 John answered, 1  “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop 2  him because he is not a disciple 3  along with us.” 9:50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

John 3:26

3:26 So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, 4  about whom you testified – see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!”

1 tn Grk “And answering, John said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “John answered.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

2 tc The translation follows the reading that has Luke’s normal imperfect here (ἐκωλύομεν, ekwluomen; found in Ì75vid א B L Ξ 579 892 1241). Most mss, however, have an aorist (ἐκωλύσαμεν, ekwlusamen; found in A C D W Θ Ψ Ë1,13 33 Ï co), which would be translated “we forbade him.” The imperfect enjoys the best external and internal support.

3 tn Grk “does not follow with us.” BDAG 36 s.v. ἀκολουθέω 2 indicates that the pronoun σοι (soi, “you”) is to be supplied after the verb in this particular instance; the translation in the text best represents this nuance.

4 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.