“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.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic, and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.
- 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.
- BSB “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.
- NASB “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.
- NLT “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The father begs Jesus to have mercy on his son, who suffers severe seizures that endanger his life. It is a cry of helpless love appealing to Christ's compassion.
Overview
The man describes terrible affliction (here rendered 'epileptic') that repeatedly throws the boy into fire and water. Mark's parallel attributes it to an unclean spirit. Whatever the means, the father rightly seeks mercy from the only one able to deliver, modeling prayer that lays real suffering before the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 4:24The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them.
- Mark 9:17–18One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit;
- Matt 8:31–32The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”
- Job 1:10–19Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
- Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head.
- Mark 5:4–5because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him.
- Mark 5:22–23Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet,
- Luke 9:38–42Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.
- John 4:46–47Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
- Matt 15:22Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”
- Mark 9:20–22They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 17:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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