Matthew 17:16
New International Version
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

New Living Translation
So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

English Standard Version
And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.”

Berean Standard Bible
I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

Berean Literal Bible
And I brought him Your to disciples, and they were not able to heal him."

King James Bible
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

New King James Version
So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

New American Standard Bible
And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

NASB 1995
“I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

NASB 1977
“And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

Amplified Bible
And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to heal him.”

Christian Standard Bible
I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

American Standard Version
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

Contemporary English Version
I brought him to your disciples, but none of them could heal him."

English Revised Version
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't cure him."

Good News Translation
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."

International Standard Version
I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."

Majority Standard Bible
I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

NET Bible
I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him."

New Heart English Bible
So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him."

Webster's Bible Translation
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

Weymouth New Testament
I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not been able to cure him."

World English Bible
So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and I brought him near to Your disciples, and they were not able to heal him.”

Berean Literal Bible
And I brought him Your to disciples, and they were not able to heal him."

Young's Literal Translation
and I brought him near to thy disciples, and they were not able to heal him.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to cure him.”

New American Bible
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

New Revised Standard Version
And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And I brought him to your disciples and they were not able to heal him.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they were not able to cure him.

Godbey New Testament
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they were not able to heal him.

Haweis New Testament
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they have not been able to cure him.

Mace New Testament
I presented him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.

Weymouth New Testament
I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not been able to cure him."

Worrell New Testament
And I brought him to Thy disciples, and they could not heal him."

Worsley New Testament
And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not heal him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boy with a Demon
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. 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.”…

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.”

Luke 9:38-40
Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child. / 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. / I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

Matthew 10:1
And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

Matthew 15:30-31
Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. / The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

Mark 6:7
Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.

Luke 10:17
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”

Acts 19:13-16
Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.” / Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. / But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” ...

Matthew 8:16
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

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 1:34
And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

Luke 4:41
Demons also came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ.

John 14:12
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Acts 5:16
Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

Acts 8:7
With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.

2 Kings 4:29-31
So Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment, take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy’s face.” / And the mother of the boy said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. / Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”


Treasury of Scripture

And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.

and they.

Matthew 17:19,20
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? …

2 Kings 4:29-31
Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child…

Luke 9:40
And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

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Matthew 17
1. The transfiguration of Jesus.
14. He heals the boy with a demon,
22. foretells his own passion,
24. and pays tribute.














I brought him
This phrase indicates an act of faith and desperation. The father of the boy, who is possessed by a demon, takes the initiative to seek help. The Greek word for "brought" is "prospherō," which implies offering or presenting something. This act of bringing his son to Jesus' disciples reflects the father's hope and belief in their ability to heal, a belief rooted in the disciples' previous successes in performing miracles.

to Your disciples
The term "disciples" refers to the followers of Jesus who were being trained to carry on His ministry. In the historical context, disciples were students or apprentices who learned from a master. The Greek word "mathētēs" means learner or pupil. The disciples had been given authority by Jesus to cast out demons and heal the sick (Matthew 10:1), which makes their inability to heal the boy particularly significant and a point of teaching for Jesus.

but they could not
This phrase highlights a moment of failure and limitation. The Greek word "dynamai" means to be able or to have power. The disciples' inability to heal the boy suggests a lack of faith or understanding, which Jesus later addresses. This moment serves as a reminder of human limitations and the necessity of reliance on divine power rather than solely on one's own abilities.

heal him
The act of healing in the biblical context often goes beyond physical restoration; it encompasses spiritual and emotional wholeness. The Greek word "therapeuō" means to serve, cure, or restore to health. Healing in the New Testament is frequently associated with the presence and power of God, demonstrating His compassion and authority over all creation. The disciples' failure to heal the boy underscores the need for a deeper faith and connection to Jesus, the ultimate source of healing and restoration.

(16) They could not cure him.--This, then, would seem to have been the subject-matter of debate. The scribes were taunting the disciples, who had probably trusted to their use of the wonted formula of their Master's name, and were now wrangling in their own defence. Neither scribes nor disciples had thought of gaining the spiritual power which might avail by the means which they both recognised as effective.

Verse 16. - I brought him to thy disciples. He had come with the multitude, hoping to find Jesus, and, being disappointed, he had applied to the nine to relieve his misery. When the apostles were sent forth with commission to heal the sick, they returned with joy to report the success of their tour: they cast forth many devils; they noted with glad surprise that the very demons were subject to them in the Name of Jesus (Matthew 10:1; Luke 10:17). It was different now. They could not cure him. What means they used we know not; at any rate, they were ineffectual. The writers who record the failure must be allowed to be truthful and honest. There had been much to depress these disciples. Their Master was absent, gone they knew not whither; how long he would be away they could not tell; the boldest and most trusted of their company were no longer present to cheer them with sympathy, to repel attacks, to stand forth as champions. The scribes' uncompromising disbelief (Mark 9:16) had for the moment obscured their own perfect trust; the atmosphere of infidelity had affected their own breathing; the memory of Christ's words concerning his Passion and death recurred again with dispiriting effect, infusing doubt and disquiet; they bad for the time lost the ardour and confidence which had animated them in their first mission; retaining belief in Christ's claims, they felt a hesitation concerning their own ability; and the conscious weakness in their exorcism nullified its power, and they could do no mighty work.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
I brought
προσήνεγκα (prosēnenka)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4374: From pros and phero; to bear towards, i.e. Lead to, tender, treat.

him
αὐτὸν (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.

to
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

disciples,
μαθηταῖς (mathētais)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.

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

they could
ἠδυνήθησαν (ēdynēthēsan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

heal
θεραπεῦσαι (therapeusai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2323: From the same as therapon; to wait upon menially, i.e. to adore, or to relieve.

him.”
αὐτὸν (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.


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