Luke 9:39
New International Version
A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.

New Living Translation
An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone.

English Standard Version
And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.

Berean Standard Bible
A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him.

Berean Literal Bible
And behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into convulsions with foaming, and with difficulty it departs from him, crushing him.

King James Bible
And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

New King James Version
And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.

New American Standard Bible
and a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.

NASB 1995
and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.

NASB 1977
and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and as it mauls him, it scarcely leaves him.

Legacy Standard Bible
and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.

Amplified Bible
and a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into a convulsion so that he foams at the mouth; and only with [great] difficulty does it leave him, mauling and bruising him as it leaves.

Christian Standard Bible
A spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; severely bruising him, it scarcely ever leaves him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Often a spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; wounding him, it hardly ever leaves him.

American Standard Version
and behold, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him sorely.

Contemporary English Version
A demon often attacks him and makes him scream. It shakes him until he foams at the mouth, and it won't leave him until it has completely worn the boy out.

English Revised Version
and behold, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him sorely.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whenever a spirit takes control of him, he shrieks, goes into convulsions, and foams at the mouth. After a struggle, the spirit goes away, leaving the child worn out.

Good News Translation
A spirit attacks him with a sudden shout and throws him into a fit, so that he foams at the mouth; it keeps on hurting him and will hardly let him go!

International Standard Version
Without warning a spirit takes control of him, and he suddenly screams, goes into convulsions, and foams at the mouth. The spirit mauls him and refuses to leave him.

Majority Standard Bible
A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him.

NET Bible
A spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing him severely.

New Heart English Bible
And look, a spirit seizes him, and all at once he cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely.

Webster's Bible Translation
And lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth, and bruising him, hardly departeth from him.

Weymouth New Testament
At times a spirit seizes him and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him, and makes him foam at the mouth, and does not leave him till it has well-nigh covered him with bruises.

World English Bible
Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams; and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it convulses him, with foaming, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him,

Berean Literal Bible
And behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into convulsions with foaming, and with difficulty it departs from him, crushing him.

Young's Literal Translation
and lo, a spirit doth take him, and suddenly he doth cry out, and it teareth him, with foaming, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And, behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out; and it tears him with foam, and with difficulty withdraws from him, bruising him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And lo, a spirit seizeth him, and he suddenly crieth out, and he throweth him down and teareth him, so that he foameth; and bruising him, he hardly departeth from him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And behold, a spirit takes hold of him, and he suddenly cries out, and it throws him down and convulses him, so that he foams. And though it tears him apart, it leaves him only with difficulty.

New American Bible
For a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams and it convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it releases him only with difficulty, wearing him out.

New Revised Standard Version
Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out, and gnashes his teeth and foams; and it hardly leaves him when it has tormented him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And a spirit suddenly comes upon him, and suddenly he screams and gnashes his teeth and becomes ill, and it departs from him with difficulty whenever it attacks him.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and, behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out, and it throws him into convulsions, and causes him to foam, and after depriving him of strength, hardly departs from him.

Godbey New Testament
and behold, the spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; and he convulses him with foam, and scarcely departs from him, contorting him.

Haweis New Testament
And, behold! a spirit taketh him, and suddenly he crieth out, and convulseth him, with foaming; and bruising him, with difficulty retires from him.

Mace New Testament
he is frequently seized by a spirit, which makes him immediately roar, then throws him into convulsions with foaming, and never leaves him, but with difficulty and bruises.

Weymouth New Testament
At times a spirit seizes him and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him, and makes him foam at the mouth, and does not leave him till it has well-nigh covered him with bruises.

Worrell New Testament
And, behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it convulses him with foaming, and with difficulty it departs from him, bruising him;

Worsley New Testament
and lo, a spirit seizeth him, and all on a sudden he screameth, and it convulses him with foaming; and bruising him, with much ado departs from him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boy with an Evil Spirit
38Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him. 40I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”…

Cross References
Mark 9:17-18
Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute. / Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

Matthew 17:15
“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.

Mark 1:26
At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.

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.

Mark 5:5
Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.

Matthew 8:28-29
When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, He was met by two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. / “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

Mark 9:20-22
So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. / Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said. / “It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Matthew 12:22
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

Mark 7:25-26
Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet. / Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

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.”

1 Samuel 16:14
Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

1 Samuel 18:10
The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,

1 Samuel 19:9
But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp,

2 Kings 4:32-35
When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. / So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. / Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm. ...

2 Kings 5:1-14
Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. / At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife. / She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And, see, a spirit takes him, and he suddenly cries out; and it tears him that he foams again, and bruising him hardly departs from him.

lo.

Luke 4:35
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

Luke 8:29
(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

Mark 5:4,5
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him…

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Blows Bruises Bruising Convulsion Convulsions Covered Cries Crieth Crushing Cry Departeth Departs Destroying Difficulty Foam Foameth Foaming Foams Gives Goes Hardly Last Leave Makes Marked Mouth Pain Scarcely Seizes Severely Shatters Sorely Spirit Streaming Suddenly Teareth Tears Throws Times Twisted Well-Nigh
Luke 9
1. Jesus sends his apostles to work miracles, and to preach.
7. Herod desires to see Jesus.
10. The apostles return.
12. Jesus feeds five thousand;
18. inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion;
23. proposes to all the pattern of his patience.
28. The transfiguration.
37. He heals the lunatic;
43. again forewarns his disciples of his passion;
46. commends humility;
51. bids them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge.
57. Many would follow him, but upon conditions.














A spirit seizes him
The phrase "a spirit" refers to a demonic entity, which in the context of the New Testament, is understood as a malevolent force opposed to God. The Greek word for "spirit" here is "pneuma," which can mean breath or wind, but in this context, it signifies a supernatural being. The act of seizing indicates a forceful and involuntary possession, suggesting the power and control that the demonic spirit exerts over the boy. This reflects the spiritual warfare theme prevalent in the Gospels, where Jesus confronts and overcomes such forces.

and he suddenly screams
The suddenness of the scream highlights the violent and unpredictable nature of the demonic attack. The Greek word "krazo" is used for "screams," which implies a loud, piercing cry. This is not just a cry of fear or pain but a manifestation of the inner turmoil and chaos caused by the spirit. Historically, such manifestations were seen as signs of spiritual oppression, and the community would have recognized the need for divine intervention.

it throws him into convulsions
The phrase describes the physical impact of the spiritual affliction. The Greek word "sparasso" means to tear or mangle, indicating the violent physical reaction of the boy's body. This reflects the destructive intent of the demonic spirit, aiming to harm and degrade the image of God in humanity. In the broader scriptural context, such physical manifestations are often linked to spiritual bondage, requiring the liberating power of Christ.

so that he foams at the mouth
This detail underscores the severity of the boy's condition. Foaming at the mouth is a symptom often associated with epilepsy, but in this context, it is attributed to demonic influence. The physical symptoms serve to illustrate the comprehensive nature of the affliction, affecting both body and spirit. This would have been a distressing sight for the boy's family and community, emphasizing the need for Jesus' healing power.

It scarcely ever leaves him
The persistence of the spirit's presence indicates a chronic condition, suggesting that the boy's suffering is ongoing and relentless. The Greek word "mogis" means with difficulty or hardly, emphasizing the spirit's tenacity. This highlights the desperation of the situation and the inadequacy of human efforts to bring relief, pointing to the necessity of divine intervention.

and is destroying him
The ultimate aim of the demonic spirit is revealed in this phrase. The Greek word "suntribo" means to break or shatter, indicating the destructive impact on the boy's life. This aligns with the biblical understanding of Satan's mission to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The boy's plight serves as a poignant reminder of the brokenness of the world and the need for the redemptive work of Christ, who came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
A spirit
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

keeps seizing
λαμβάνει (lambanei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

him,
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he screams
κράζει (krazei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2896: To cry aloud, shriek. A primary verb; properly, to 'croak' or scream, i.e. to call aloud.

abruptly.
ἐξαίφνης (exaiphnēs)
Adverb
Strong's 1810: Suddenly, unexpectedly. From ek and the base of aiphnidios; of a sudden.

It throws him into convulsions
σπαράσσει (sparassei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4682: To convulse, throw into spasms. Prolongation from spairo; to mangle, i.e. Convluse with epilepsy.

[so that]
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

he foams at the mouth.
ἀφροῦ (aphrou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 876: Foam, froth. Apparently a primary word; froth, i.e. Slaver.

It keeps mauling
συντρῖβον (syntribon)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4937: From sun and the base of tribos; to crush completely, i.e. To shatter.

him
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

[and] rarely
μόγις (mogis)
Adverb
Strong's 3425: With difficulty; scarcely, hardly. Adverb from a primary mogos; with difficulty.

departs
ἀποχωρεῖ (apochōrei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 672: To go away, depart, withdraw. From apo and choreo; to go away.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

him.
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: Luke 9:39 Behold a spirit takes him he suddenly (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 9:38
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