Focused Passage

Matthew 17:14-20

The Glory of the Son, the Coming of Elijah, the Failure of Little Faith, and the Son’s Humble Freedom

Matthew moves from the glory of the transfigured Son, to the Father’s command to listen to him, to the clarification that Elijah has come and suffered, to a failed exorcism caused by little faith, to Jesus’ authority over the demon, to a second passion prediction, and finally to the Son’s freedom and humble payment of the temple tax.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.

15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

16 I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”

18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

19 Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 “Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

When Καὶ G2532 Conjunction they came ἐλθόντων G2064 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular crowd ὄχλον G3793 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular a man ἄνθρωπος G444 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular came up προσῆλθεν G4334 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to [Jesus] αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular [and] knelt before γονυπετῶν G1120 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 15

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular have mercy on ἐλέησόν G1653 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular my μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular son υἱόν G5207 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular he said λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction He has seizures σεληνιάζεται G4583 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction is suffering πάσχει* G3958 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular terribly κακῶς G2560 Adverb - γὰρ G1063 Conjunction vvv πολλάκις G4178 Adverb He often falls πίπτει G4098 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular into εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular fire πῦρ G4442 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular [or] καὶ G2532 Conjunction - πολλάκις G4178 Adverb into εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular water ὕδωρ G5204 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 16

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction I brought προσήνεγκα G4374 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular to τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural Your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular disciples μαθηταῖς G3101 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural but καὶ G2532 Conjunction they could ἠδυνήθησαν G1410 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural not οὐκ G3756 Adverb heal θεραπεῦσαι G2323 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 17

Original words

O G5599 Interjection unbelieving ἄπιστος G571 Adjective - Vocative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction perverse διεστραμμένη G1294 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Vocative Feminine Singular generation γενεὰ G1074 Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular replied Ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular - εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular How long ἕως G2193 Preposition . . . πότε G4219 Conjunction must I remain ἔσομαι G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular with μεθ’ G3326 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural How long ἕως G2193 Preposition . . . πότε G4219 Conjunction must I put up with ἀνέξομαι G430 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural Bring φέρετέ G5342 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural [the boy] αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular here ὧδε G5602 Adverb to Me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Verse 18

Original words

Then καὶ G2532 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular rebuked ἐπετίμησεν G2008 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the demon] αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular [it] δαιμόνιον G1140 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular came out ἐξῆλθεν G1831 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular of ἀπ’ G575 Preposition [the boy] αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular [he] παῖς G3816 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular was healed ἐθεραπεύθη G2323 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition that ἐκείνης G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular moment ὥρας G5610 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 19

Original words

Afterward Τότε G5119 Adverb the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταὶ G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural came προσελθόντες G4334 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular to Jesus Ἰησοῦ G2424 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular vvv κατ’ G2596 Preposition privately ἰδίαν G2398 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular [and] asked εἶπον G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Why Διὰ G1223 Preposition vvv τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb couldn’t ἠδυνήθημεν G1410 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural we ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural drive it out ἐκβαλεῖν G1544 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active . . . αὐτό G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Verse 20

Original words

Because Διὰ G1223 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular [have] so little faith ὀλιγοπιστίαν G3640 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular He answered λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction truly ἀμὴν G281 Hebrew Word I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural if ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction you have ἔχητε G2192 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural faith πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular the size of ὡς G5613 Adverb a mustard σινάπεως G4615 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular seed κόκκον G2848 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular you can say ἐρεῖτε G2046 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural to this τούτῳ G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular mountain ὄρει G3735 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular Move Μετάβα G3327 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular from here ἔνθεν G1759 Adverb to there ἐκεῖ G1563 Adverb and καὶ G2532 Conjunction it will move μεταβήσεται G3327 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Nothing οὐδὲν G3762 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular will be impossible ἀδυνατήσει G101 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular for you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • BYZ and TR include 21But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting; see Mark 9:29.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.