14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. 19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:14-29 KJV)
Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit
This account of Jesus casting out a demon from a child is more detailed than the version in Matthew 17:14. When Jesus returned to His disciples, He found them in confusion. He had just come down from the mountain, laying aside His glory to attend to His followers. His concern for His church remains even when He is exalted in glory (Mark 9:14).
He arrived just as the disciples were facing defeat—the scribes were arguing with them, having seized the opportunity when the disciples couldn’t cast out a demon from a boy. The scribes mocked both the disciples and Jesus, likely shaking the crowd’s confidence. This scene echoed Moses’ return from Mount Sinai, only to find Israel in disarray (Exodus 32:19).
Jesus’ appearance surprised the crowd. They ran to greet Him with amazement—perhaps His face still reflected something glorious, as Moses’ did (Exodus 34:30). His return comforted the disciples and silenced the scribes.
Jesus asked the scribes what they were arguing about, but they gave no answer. The disciples remained quiet too, relieved by His presence. The boy’s father stepped forward and explained the situation (Mark 9:17-18). His son was afflicted by a mute spirit that caused violent seizures—foaming at the mouth, grinding his teeth, and gradually wasting away (Psalm 102:3-5). The disciples had tried to help but failed. The man brought his son to Jesus just in time.
Jesus responded with a rebuke: “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19). This likely addressed both the disciples for their lack of prayer and the scribes for their unbelief. His frustration wasn’t with His earthly condition, but with being surrounded by unbelieving people.
As the boy approached Jesus, the demon violently threw him into another seizure. The boy fell to the ground, rolling and foaming at the mouth (Mark 9:20). Jesus asked how long this had been happening, and the father replied that it started in childhood (Mark 9:21). The devil had often tried to destroy him by throwing him into fire or water. The father begged for help: “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). His words hinted at doubt—not about Jesus’ compassion, but about His power—since the disciples had failed.
Jesus corrected this: “If you can believe, all things are possible for the one who believes” (Mark 9:23). He shifted the focus from His power to the man’s faith. Faith connects us to God’s power and promises. Jesus encouraged him to trust that even things that seem impossible can happen if he believes.
The man immediately cried out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). He confessed his faith but admitted it was weak. This honest prayer shows that even believers can struggle with doubt. We must ask Christ to help us trust more fully, and His grace is sufficient in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Seeing the crowd gathering, Jesus acted quickly. He rebuked the spirit, saying, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again” (Mark 9:25). Christ’s deliverance is complete and lasting. The demon convulsed the boy one last time and left. The boy appeared dead, and many said so (Mark 9:26). But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, fully restored (Mark 9:27). His touch brought life and strength.
Later, the disciples privately asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast the demon out. He told them, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). Some battles require deeper spiritual preparation. Long-standing evil, like deeply rooted sin or suffering, needs earnest, focused prayer and dependence on God. While Jesus had authority to cast the demon out with a word, His followers must sometimes labor through prayer and fasting for such victories.