Matthew 17:15

Sickness and healing Parents and children Mercy and compassion Prayer

¹³ Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

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

“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.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “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.
KJV: Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
WEB: “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.
ASV: Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is epileptic, and suffereth grievously; for oft-times he falleth into the fire, and off-times into the water.
DARBY: Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic, and suffers sorely; for often he falls into the fire and often into the water.
BLB: and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers miserably; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.

ÅB: «Herre, se i nåde til min sønn! Han er månesyk og har store lidelser. Han faller ofte i ilden og ofte i vannet.
OTB: “Herre, ha barmhjertighet med min sønn,” sa han. “Han har anfall og lider fryktelig; han faller ofte i ilden eller i vannet.
B1930: Herre! miskunn dig over min sønn! Han er månesyk og Iider storlig; ofte faller han i ilden og ofte i vannet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Matthew 4:24
News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed—and He healed them.
Read in context
Matthew 15:22
And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”
Read in context
Mark 5:22–23
A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet
Read in context
Job 2:7
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
Read in context
Luke 9:38–42
Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child.
Read in context
Matthew 8:31–32
So the demons begged Jesus, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
Read in context
Mark 9:17–18
Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute.
Read in context
Job 1:10–19
Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
Read in context