Matthew 17:15

Matthew 17:15 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
• English Standard Version (ESV)said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.

Context of Matthew 17:15

13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist. 14When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him.” 17Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him here to me.”

Matthew 17:15 word by word

καὶ λέγων· κύριε, ἐλέησόν μου τὸν υἱόν, ὅτι σεληνιάζεται καὶ κακῶς πάσχει· πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• have mercyἐλεέωeleeō · to have mercyG1653
• onὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• onυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• he is lunatickσεληνιάζομαιselēniazomai · be epilepticG4583
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• soreκακῶςkakōs · badlyG2560
• vexedπάσχωpaschō pathō penthō · to sufferG3958
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• ofttimesπολλάκιςpollakis · oftenG4178
• he fallethπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
• the waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204

Cross-references for Matthew 17:15

• Matthew 15:22A Canaanite woman from that area came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!”
• Mark 5:22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came up, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.
• Mark 9:22It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
• Luke 9:38Then a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son – he is my only child!
• John 4:46Now he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick.
• Matthew 4:24So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.
• Mark 9:17A member of the crowd said to him, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that makes him mute.
• Matthew 8:31Then the demons begged him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
• Job 1:10Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
• Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the sole of his feet to the top of his head.
• Mark 5:4For his hands and feet had often been bound with chains and shackles, but he had torn the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

Commentaries on Matthew 17:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15My son - is lunatic - . One who was most affected with this disorder at the change and full of the moon. See on Matthew 4:24; (note). But this lunacy was occasioned by a demon, see Matthew 17:18, and Mark 9:17; Luke 9:38. In this case, the devil intended to hide himself under the appearance of a natural disorder, that no supernatural means might be resorted to for his expulsion. See a remarkable account on Luke 9:39; (note). Falleth ofttimes into the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Lord, have mercy - The word “Lord” here means “Sir,” a title of civility, not implying divinity. My son - This was an only son (Luke). He was possessed with a devil. This calamity was attended with the following symptoms: he was lunatic (see the notes at Matthew 4:24); he was sore vexed; that is, he suffered greatly, or was greatly afflicted; he fell often suddenly, in the manner of persons having epileptic fits; he was dumb - that is, he was mute except…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 The case of afflicted children should be presented to God by faithful and fervent prayer. Christ cured the child. Though the people were perverse, and Christ was provoked, yet care was taken of the child. When all other helps and succours fail, we are welcome to Christ, may trust in him, and in his power and goodness. See here an emblem of Christ's undertaking as our Redeemer. It encourages parents to bring children to Christ, whose souls are…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 17:15

• Demons
• Doubting
• Faith
• Insanity
• Intercession
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Betray
• Cure
• Tabernacle
• Talking
• Demon; Demoniac; Demonology
• Intercession
• Jesus Christ
• John, the Apostle
• Lunatic(k)
• Mad; Madness

Commentaries on Matthew 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings