New International Version
Matthew 17:15
15“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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
Context of Matthew 17:15
13Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. 14When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “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. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” 17“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”
Read all of Matthew 17Matthew 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 vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
- Mark 5:22Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.
- Mark 9:22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
- Luke 9:38A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.
- John 4:46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.
- Matthew 4:24News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.
- Mark 9:17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
- Matthew 8:31The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
- Job 1:10“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
- Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
- Mark 5:4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. 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
In the dictionaries
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
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