Healing a Demon-Possessed Boy and a Second Prediction of Death
Matthew 17:14-23
Matt.17.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ελθοντων: VERB,aor,act,part,gen,pl,m
- προς: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- οχλον: NOUN,acc,sg,masc
- προσηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- γονυπετων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
Parallels
- Mark 9:14 (structural): Parallel account of the same episode (the healing of the possessed boy); begins with Jesus and the disciples returning to the crowd and a man approaching—strong verbal and narrative correspondence.
- Luke 9:37-38 (structural): Lukan parallel to Matthew 17:14–21: Luke also records the next-day arrival in the crowd and a man beseeching Jesus on behalf of his son, preserving the same sequence and petition.
- Mark 5:22 (cf. Matthew 9:18; Luke 8:41) (thematic): The motif of a distraught father/ruler coming and falling at Jesus' feet to plead for a sick child; thematically parallels the kneeling/beseeching posture and request for healing in Matthew 17:14.
- Matthew 9:18 (verbal): Within Matthew's Gospel another instance where an individual approaches Jesus and kneels to implore healing (the synagogue ruler), showing a recurring Matthean motif of kneeling petitioners approaching Jesus for cure.
Alternative generated candidates
- When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.
- When they came to the crowd, a man approached him and knelt before him.
Matt.17.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- λεγων·Κυριε: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ελεησον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- σεληνιαζεται: VERB,pres,mp,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- κακως: ADV
- πασχει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- πολλακις: ADV
- γαρ: CONJ
- πιπτει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- πυρ: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- πολλακις: ADV
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- υδωρ: NOUN,acc,sg,n
Parallels
- Mark 9:17-27 (verbal): Direct parallel account of the father’s plea for his epileptic/possessed son, including the description of seizures and falling into fire and water and Jesus’ exorcism.
- Luke 9:38-42 (verbal): Luke’s parallel narrative of the same incident: a man begs Jesus to heal his son who is seized by an unclean spirit, echoing the description and Jesus’ intervention.
- Mark 5:3-5 (thematic): Another Markan case of demonic possession exhibiting violent, self-endangering behavior (tearing at chains, harming himself), thematically comparable to the dangerous seizures in Matthew 17:15.
- Acts 10:38 (thematic): Summarizes Jesus’ ministry of healing those oppressed by demons and unclean spirits—contextual theme for the plea and miracle in Matthew 17.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'Lord, have mercy on my son,' he said, 'for he has seizures and suffers terribly; often he falls into the fire and often into the water.
- “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said, “for he suffers terribly; he is subject to seizures and often falls into the fire and often into the water.
Matt.17.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- προσηνεγκα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- μαθηταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART
- ηδυνηθησαν: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- θεραπευσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
Parallels
- Mark 9:17 (verbal): Nearly identical wording in Mark's parallel: the father says he brought the boy to the disciples and they were unable to cast out the demon.
- Luke 9:40 (verbal): Lukan parallel recounting the same episode—the father brings the son to the disciples, who cannot heal him.
- Matt.17:19-20 (structural): Immediate continuation in Matthew where the disciples ask why they could not cast it out and Jesus attributes the failure to their little faith.
- Mark 9:29 (thematic): Mark's version gives Jesus' explanation that 'this kind' requires prayer (and fasting), offering a reason for the disciples' inability to heal the boy.
Alternative generated candidates
- I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.'
- I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
Matt.17.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αποκριθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν·Ω: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- γενεα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- απιστος: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- διεστραμμενη: VERB,perf,pass,ptc,nom,f,sg
- εως: CONJ
- ποτε: ADV
- μεθ᾽υμων: PREP+PRON,gen,pl,2
- εσομαι: VERB,fut,mid,ind,1,sg
- εως: CONJ
- ποτε: ADV
- ανεξομαι: VERB,fut,mid,ind,1,sg
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- φερετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- ωδε: ADV
Parallels
- Mark 9:19 (quotation): Near-verbatim synoptic parallel: Jesus uses the same rebuke—"O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?"—in the Markan account of the same healing episode.
- Luke 9:41 (quotation): Luke's version contains the same lament ("faithless and perverse generation") in the parallel narrative, underscoring the common synoptic tradition and the emphasis on unbelief.
- Matt 13:58 (thematic): Shows the same theme that lack of faith among the people limits Jesus' miracles—"he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief"—echoing the frustration expressed in 17:17.
- Psalm 78:8 (allusion): Uses similar language about a "perverse/stubborn generation" whose hearts are not faithful; provides Old Testament background for prophetic/ethical complaints about a faithless generation.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus answered, 'You unbelieving and perverse generation—how long must I be with you? How long must I bear with you? Bring the boy here to me.'
- Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long must I be with you? How long must I bear with you? Bring the boy here to me.”
Matt.17.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- επετιμησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- απ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,m
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- δαιμονιον·και: NOUN,acc,sg,n+CONJ
- εθεραπευθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- παις: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- απο: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ωρας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εκεινης: PRON,gen,sg,3,f
Parallels
- Mark 9:25-27 (verbal): Mark's parallel of the same exorcism: Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, it comes out, and the boy is immediately restored — closely matching Matthew's wording and sequence.
- Luke 9:42 (verbal): Lucan parallel to this pericope: Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit and heals the child, with immediate restoration similar to Matthew 17:18.
- Mark 1:25 (thematic): An earlier exorcism where Jesus rebukes the spirit ('Be silent, and come out of him'), illustrating the same authoritative rebuke by which demons depart in Matthew 17:18.
- Luke 4:35 (verbal): Another instance where Jesus rebukes an unclean spirit and it leaves the man (and the spirit convulses him), paralleling the formula and authority displayed in Matthew 17:18.
Alternative generated candidates
- He rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the boy was healed from that hour.
- He rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and from that hour the boy was healed.
Matt.17.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- προσελθοντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- κατ᾽ιδιαν: ADV
- ειπον·Δια: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τι: ADV
- ημεις: PRON,nom,pl,1
- ουκ: PART
- ηδυνηθημεν: VERB,aor,pas,ind,1,pl
- εκβαλειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 9:28-29 (verbal): Almost identical follow-up: the disciples ask Jesus privately why they could not cast out the demon; Jesus replies that 'this kind' is driven out only by prayer (Mark explicitly includes 'prayer').
- Luke 9:37-43 (esp. 40-42) (thematic): Parallel account of the healing of the demon-possessed boy where the disciples fail to cast out the spirit and Jesus rebukes the unbelief of the generation—same narrative theme with variant details.
- Matt.17:14-18 (structural): Immediate narrative context: the prior verses report the disciples' failure and Jesus' subsequent healing/exorcism—the same episode to which v.19 directly belongs.
- Matt.17:20 (thematic): Jesus’ explanation for the disciples' inability—'Because of your little faith'—gives the theological reason immediately following v.19 and ties the question to faith.
- Mark 9:23 (verbal): Jesus' statement 'If you can! — All things are possible for one who believes' connects to the underlying theme of faith as the key to expelling the spirit, complementing v.19's question.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, 'Why could we not cast it out?'
- Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why could we not cast it out?”
Matt.17.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Δια: PRON,dat,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ολιγοπιστιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- υμων·αμην: PRON,gen,pl,m
- γαρ: CONJ
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,m
- εαν: CONJ
- εχητε: VERB,pres,act,subj,2,pl
- πιστιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ως: CONJ
- κοκκον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- σιναπεως: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ερειτε: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,pl
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ορει: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- τουτω·Μεταβα: DEM,dat,sg,n
- ενθεν: ADV
- εκει: ADV
- και: CONJ
- μεταβησεται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ουδεν: PRON,acc,sg,n
- αδυνατησει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Matt.21.21-22 (verbal): Same imagery of commanding a mountain to move and promise that it will, plus the immediately related assurance that whatever is asked in prayer will be granted.
- Mark 11.22-24 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: exhorts faith in God, commands a mountain to be cast into the sea, and connects faith with effective prayer (believe you have received).
- Luke 17.6 (verbal): Uses the same mustard-seed simile for tiny faith and gives a parallel command image (uprooting a tree), emphasizing the power of even minimal faith.
- Mark 9.23 (verbal): Closely related saying: 'All things are possible to him who believes,' underscoring the same theological point about the effectiveness of faith.
- James 1.6 (thematic): Links belief to effective petitioning: one must ask in faith without doubting—conceptually allied to Matthew's claim that genuine (even small) faith makes the impossible possible.
Alternative generated candidates
- He said to them, 'Because of your little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.'
- He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matt.17.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Συστρεφομενων: VERB,pres,mid/pass,ptc,gen,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,3
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- Γαλιλαια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους·Μελλει: PROPN,nom,sg,m + VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- παραδιδοσθαι: VERB,pres,pass,inf
- εις: PREP
- χειρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 9:31 (verbal): Very close verbal parallel: Jesus predicts the 'Son of Man' will be delivered into the hands of men, and that he will suffer, die, and rise after three days.
- Luke 9:44 (verbal): Luke's parallel wording of the same passion prediction—Jesus warns the disciples that the Son of Man will be delivered up, a saying the disciples do not yet understand.
- Matthew 20:18-19 (thematic): A fuller Matthean passion prediction: the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, condemned, mocked, scourged, killed, and raised on the third day—same theme of delivery leading to suffering and death.
- Luke 18:31-33 (thematic): Another Passion prediction in Luke enumerating betrayal, condemnation, mockery, death, and resurrection—thematically linked to being 'delivered' into human hands and suffering.
- Isaiah 53:7 (allusion): The Suffering Servant imagery ('brought as a lamb to the slaughter', silent before oppressors) functions as an Old Testament backdrop to Jesus' being handed over and suffering.
Alternative generated candidates
- As they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of men,
- As they were gathered together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men,
Matt.17.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- αποκτενουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- και: CONJ
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- τριτη: ADJ,dat,sg,f
- ημερα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εγερθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- ελυπηθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- σφοδρα: ADV
Parallels
- Matt.16:21 (verbal): An earlier Matthean prediction that Jesus must suffer, be killed, and be raised on the third day—same sequence and language as 17:23.
- Mark 9:31 (verbal): Near‑verbatim synoptic parallel: predicts delivery, being killed, and rising after three days; closely mirrors Matthew 17:23.
- Luke 9:22 (verbal): Synoptic parallel stating the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected and be killed, and on the third day be raised—same core proclamation.
- 1 Corinthians 15:4 (thematic): Early creedal summary that Christ 'was raised on the third day,' echoing the Matthean claim and reflecting early apostolic proclamation.
- Acts 10:40 (thematic): Peter’s preaching statement that 'God raised him on the third day,' affirming the same resurrection‑on‑the‑third‑day tradition found in Matthew 17:23.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.' And they were greatly distressed.
- and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were greatly distressed.
When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before him, saying,
'Lord, have mercy on my son,' he said, 'for he is severely afflicted. A spirit seizes him and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.'
Jesus answered, 'O faithless and perverse generation, how long must I remain with you? How long must I endure you? Bring the boy here to me.' And Jesus rebuked the spirit, and it came out of him; and the boy was healed from that hour.
Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why were we not able to cast it out?'
He said to them, 'Because of your little faith.'
'Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.'
As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.' And they were greatly distressed.