The Power of Faith over a Demon

14 When they reached the crowd,(A) a man approached and knelt down before Him. 15 “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures[a] and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”(B)

17 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and rebellious[b] generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”(C) 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon,[c] and it[d] came out of him,(D) and from that moment[e] the boy was healed.

19 Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 “Because of your little faith,” He[f] told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of[g] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(E) Nothing will be impossible for you.(F) [21 However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.][h]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:15 Lit he is moonstruck; thought to be a form of epilepsy
  2. Matthew 17:17 Or corrupt, or perverted, or twisted; Dt 32:5
  3. Matthew 17:18 Lit rebuked him or it
  4. Matthew 17:18 Lit the demon
  5. Matthew 17:18 Lit hour
  6. Matthew 17:20 Other mss read your unbelief,” Jesus
  7. Matthew 17:20 Lit faith like
  8. Matthew 17:21 Other mss omit bracketed text; Mk 9:29

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