A Boy with a Demon Is Healed ^(A)

¹⁴ When Jesus came back to His followers, He saw many people standing around them. The teachers of the Law were arguing with them. ¹⁵ The people saw Jesus and were surprised and ran to greet Him. ¹⁶ Jesus asked the teachers of the Law, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ One of the people said, “Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a demon in him and cannot talk. ¹⁸ Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”

¹⁹ He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” ²⁰ They brought the boy to Jesus. The demon saw Jesus and at once held the boy in his power. The boy fell to the ground with spit running from his mouth. ²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” The father said, “From the time he was a child. ²² Many times it throws him into the fire and into the water to kill him. If You can do anything to help us, take pity on us!” ²³ Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask Me that? The one who has faith can do all things.” ²⁴ At once the father cried out. He said with tears in his eyes, “Lord, I have faith. Help my weak faith to be stronger!” ²⁵ Jesus saw that many people were gathering together in a hurry. He spoke sharp words to the demon. He said, “Demon! You who cannot speak or hear, I say to you, come out of him! Do not ever go into him again.” ²⁶ The demon gave a cry. It threw the boy down and came out of him. The boy was so much like a dead man that people said, “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him and he stood up.

²⁸ When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” ²⁹ He said to them, “The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

A Boy with a Demon Is Healed ^(A)

³⁷ The next day they came down from the mountain and many people met Jesus. ³⁸ A man from among the people cried out, “Teacher, I beg of You to look at my son. He is my only child. ³⁹ See, a demon takes him and makes him cry out. It takes hold of him and makes him shake. Spit runs from his mouth. He has marks on his body from being hurt. The demon does not want to go from him. ⁴⁰ I begged Your followers to put the demon out, but they could not.”

⁴¹ Then Jesus said, “You people of this day do not have faith. You turn from what is right! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring your son to Me.” ⁴² While the boy was coming, the demon threw him down and made him lose the use of his mind for awhile. Jesus spoke sharp words to the demon. He healed the child and gave him back to his father.