17 »Rabbi,« answered one of the crowd, »I have brought you my son. He has a dumb spirit in him;
18 and wherever it comes upon him, it dashes him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. I begged your disciples to expel it, but they had not the power.«
19 »O unbelieving generation!« replied Jesus; »how long must I be with you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me.«
20 So they brought him to Jesus. And the spirit, when he saw Jesus, immediately threw the youth into convulsions, so that he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
21 Then Jesus asked the father, »How long has he been like this?«»From early childhood,« he said;
22 »and often it has thrown him into the fire or into pools of water to destroy him. But, if you possibly can, have pity on us and help us.«
23 »If I possibly can!'« replied Jesus; »why, everything is possible to him who believes.«
24 Immediately the father cried out, »I do believe: strengthen my weak faith.«
25 Then Jesus, seeing that an increasing crowd was running towards Him, rebuked the foul spirit, and said to it, »Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter into him again.«
26 So with a loud cry he threw the boy into fit after fit, and came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, so that most of them said he was dead;
27 but Jesus took his hand and raised him up, and he stood on his feet.