Miracles of Jesus
The Healing of the Boy with a Mute Spirit
Jesus heals a boy possessed by a mute and deaf spirit after the disciples failed to cast it out. He emphasizes that this kind can only be driven out through prayer, and the father confesses both his faith and his unbelief.
Mark 9,14-29
14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Καὶ ⸂ἐλθόντες πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς εἶδον⸃ ὄχλον πολὺν περὶ αὐτοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς συζητοῦντας ⸂πρὸς αὐτούς⸃.
15As soon as the whole crowd saw him, they were overcome with awe, and they ran to greet him.
καὶ ⸀εὐθὺς πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ⸂ἰδόντες αὐτὸν ἐξεθαμβήθησαν⸃, καὶ προστρέχοντες ἠσπάζοντο αὐτόν.
16He asked his disciples, "What are you arguing about with them?"
καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν ⸀αὐτούς· Τί συζητεῖτε πρὸς ⸀αὑτούς;
17Someone in the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought you my son. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak.
καὶ ⸂ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ εἷς ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου⸃· Διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρὸς σέ, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον·
18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and goes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."
καὶ ὅπου ⸀ἐὰν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ⸀ὀδόντας καὶ ξηραίνεται· καὶ εἶπα τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσιν, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν.
19He answered them, "You unbelieving generation, how long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me."
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς ⸀αὐτοῖς λέγει· Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός με.
20So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions; he fell to the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ⸂τὸ πνεῦμα εὐθὺς⸃ ⸀συνεσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων.
21Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" "Since childhood," he said.
καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· Πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ⸀Ἐκ παιδιόθεν·
22"It has often thrown him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
καὶ πολλάκις ⸂καὶ εἰς πῦρ αὐτὸν⸃ ἔβαλεν καὶ εἰς ὕδατα ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν· ἀλλʼ εἴ τι ⸀δύνῃ, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς.
23Jesus said to him, "'If you can'? Everything is possible for the one who believes."
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τὸ Εἰ ⸀δύνῃ, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι.
24At once the boy's father cried out, "I believe! Help my unbelief!"
⸀εὐθὺς κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ ⸀παιδίου ἔλεγεν· ⸀Πιστεύω· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ.
25When Jesus saw that a crowd was rushing together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You spirit that makes him mute and deaf, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!"
ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος ἐπετίμησεν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ· Τὸ ⸂ἄλαλον καὶ κωφὸν πνεῦμα⸃, ἐγὼ ⸂ἐπιτάσσω σοι⸃, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν.
26With a shriek and violent convulsions it came out. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."
καὶ ⸂κράξας καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξας⸃ ἐξῆλθεν· καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρὸς ὥστε ⸀τοὺς πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν.
27But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up, and he stood.
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς κρατήσας ⸂τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ⸃ ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη.
28When he had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
καὶ ⸂εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ⸃ εἰς οἶκον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ⸂κατʼ ἰδίαν ἐπηρώτων αὐτόν⸃· Ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό;
29He told them, "This kind can come out only by prayer."
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν ⸀προσευχῇ.