Mark 9:33
What was it that you disputed among yourselves
Jesus and the apostles have just come to Capernaum. He asked this question before we know the apostles are arguing.
Mark 9:33 What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mark 9:33 What were you arguing about on the road?”
What did you argue by yourselves on the road?
Greek
Greek Word Order
Τί ἐν τῇ ὁδῳ διελογίζεσθε;
What on the road did you argue by yourselves?
We seldom know what we are arguing about.
Lost in Translation
The initial question can be "what" or "why".
The word translated as "dispute" and "argue" is also translated as "discuss" in some modern Bibles. The first two ideas are closer to the sense of the verb which is from a root that means "two ideas" or "two messages." Its form is either the passive or middle voice. The middle voice means they were arguing "by or form themselves," which is probably where the "among themselves" in the KJV version go it start.
Vocabulary (Greek word by word)
Τί [252 verses](irreg sg neut nom) "What" is from tis, which can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "many a one", "whoever," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who," or "what."
ἐν [413 verses](prep) "By" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
τῇ [821 verses] ( article sg fem dat) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
ὁδῳ [27 verses]( noun sg fem dat) "Way" is hodos, which means literally "the way" or "the road" but it also means "travel" and "journey." It is interesting that a term joining a path with philosophy exists in many languages from the west to the east.
διελογίζεσθε; [7 verses](verb 2nd pl imperf ind mp) "Was it that you disputed" is from dialogizomai, which means "to calculate exactly", "to add up account", "to debate," and "to argue." Elsewhere it is translated as "reason."
KJV — word by word
What -- The word translated as "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
was it that -- -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "was it that" in the Greek source.
you -- This is from the second-person plural form of the verb.
disputed -- "Disputed " is a verb that means "to calculate exactly", "to add up account", "to debate," and "to argue." It is not a common word. Jesus only uses it seven time. The verb is from a root that means "two ideas" or "two messages."
among -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "among" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
yourselves -- This is from the form of the verb which requires "yourself" as the object or means doing something "by" or "for" yourselves.
by -- (CW)The word translated as "by" means "in.," "within", "with," or "among." It isn't used commonly to mean "by" and when it does, it means "by means of" not "near."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
way? -- "Way" is from a word meaning "the way" or "the road" but which is used symbolically to mean "a way of doing things" or "a philosophy of life." In Acts, followers of Jesus are described as those "belonging to the way".
NIV — word by word
What -- The word translated as "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
were -- This helping verb indicates the simple past tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.
you -- This is from the second-person plural form of the verb.
arguing -- "Arguing " is a verb that means "to calculate exactly", "to add up account", "to debate," and "to argue." It is not a common word. Jesus only uses it seven time. The verb is from a root that means "two ideas" or "two messages."
missing "by/for yourselves"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act on "yourselves," "for yourselves" or "by yourselves."
about -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "about" in the Greek source.
on -- The word translated as "by" means "in.," "within", "with," or "among." It isn't used commonly to mean "by."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
road? -- "Road" is from a word meaning "the way" or "the road" but which is used symbolically to mean "a way of doing things" or "a philosophy of life." In Acts, followers of Jesus are described as those "belonging to the way".