Mark 9:14-29

Expanded Bible

Jesus Heals a Sick Boy^(A)

¹⁴ When Jesus, Peter, James, and John came back to the other ·followers [disciples], they saw a great crowd around them and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] arguing with them. ¹⁵ But as soon as the crowd saw Jesus, the people were ·surprised [amazed] and ran to welcome him.

¹⁶ Jesus asked, “What are you arguing about?”

¹⁷ A man [in the crowd] answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has an evil spirit in him that ·stops him from talking [makes him mute]. ¹⁸ When the spirit attacks him, it throws him on the ground. Then my son foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes ·very stiff [rigid]. I asked your ·followers [disciples] to ·force [drive; cast] the evil spirit out, but they couldn’t.”

¹⁹ Jesus answered, “You ·people have no faith [unbelieving/faithless generation]. How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So ·the followers [^Lthey] brought him to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it ·made the boy lose control of himself [threw the boy into convulsions], and he fell down and rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening?”

The father answered, “Since ·he was very young [childhood]. ²² The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to ·kill [destroy] him. If you can do anything for him, please have ·pity [compassion] on us and help us.”

²³ Jesus said to the father, “You said, ‘If you can!’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help ·me to believe more [me not to doubt; me overcome my unbelief; ^Lmy unbelief]!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he ·ordered [rebuked] the ·evil [defiling; ^Lunclean] spirit, saying, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you to come out of this boy and never enter him again!”

²⁶ The evil spirit screamed and ·caused the boy to fall on the ground again [convulsed him violently]. Then the spirit came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and many people said, “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took hold of the boy’s hand and helped him to stand up.

²⁸ When Jesus went into the house, his ·followers [disciples] began asking him privately, “Why couldn’t we ·force [drive; cast] that evil spirit out?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “That kind of spirit can only be forced out by prayer.”^[a]