Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.

16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.[a] So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

19 Jesus said to them,[b] “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

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

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil[c] spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. 9:18 Or becomes weak.
  2. 9:19 Or said to his disciples.
  3. 9:25 Greek unclean.
  4. 9:29 Some manuscripts read by prayer and fasting.

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon(A)

14 As they approached the other[a] disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. 15 The whole crowd was very surprised to see Jesus[b] and ran to welcome him.

16 He asked the scribes,[c] “What are you arguing about with them?”

17 A man in the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 Whenever it brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes stiff. So I asked your disciples to drive the spirit[d] out, but they didn’t have the power.”

19 Jesus[e] told them, “You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!”

20 So they brought the boy[f] to him. When the spirit saw Jesus,[g] it immediately threw the boy[h] into convulsions. He fell on the ground and kept rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 Then Jesus[i] asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He said, “Since he was a child. 22 The spirit[j] has often thrown him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us!”

23 Jesus told him, “‘If you are able?’ Everything is possible for the person who believes!”

24 With tears flowing,[k] the child’s father at once cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that won’t let him talk or hear—I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!” 26 The spirit[l] screamed, shook the child[m] violently, and came out. The boy was like a corpse, and many said that he was dead. 27 But Jesus took his hand and helped him up, and he stood up.

28 When Jesus[n] came home, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive the spirit[o] out?”

29 He told them, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.”[p]

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:14 The Gk. lacks other
  2. Mark 9:15 Lit. him
  3. Mark 9:16 Lit. them
  4. Mark 9:18 Lit. it
  5. Mark 9:19 Lit. He
  6. Mark 9:20 Lit. him
  7. Mark 9:20 Lit. him
  8. Mark 9:20 Lit. him
  9. Mark 9:21 Lit. he
  10. Mark 9:22 Lit. It
  11. Mark 9:24 Other mss. lack With tears flowing
  12. Mark 9:26 Lit. It
  13. Mark 9:26 The Gk. lacks the child
  14. Mark 9:28 Lit. he
  15. Mark 9:28 Lit. drive it
  16. Mark 9:29 Other mss. lack and fasting