21. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening to him?” The father answered, “Since he was very young.
22. The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to kill him. If you can do anything, please have pity on us and help us.”
23. Jesus said to the father, “Why did you say ‘if you can’? All things are possible for the one who believes.”
24. Immediately the father shouted, “I do believe. Help me to believe more!”
25. Jesus saw that all the people were running there to see what was happening. So he spoke to the evil spirit. He said, “You evil spirit that makes this boy deaf and stops him from talking—I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!”
26. The evil spirit screamed. It caused the boy to fall on the ground again, and then it came out. The boy looked as if he was dead. Many people said, “He is dead!”
27. But Jesus took hold of his hand and helped him stand up.
28. Then Jesus went into the house. His followers were alone with him there. They said, “Why weren’t we able to force that evil spirit out?”
29. Jesus answered, “That kind of spirit can be forced out only with prayer.”
30. Then Jesus and his followers left there and went through Galilee. Jesus did not want the people to know where they were.
31. He wanted to teach his followers alone. He said to them, “The Son of Man will be handed over to the control of other men, who will kill him. After three days, he will rise from death.”
32. But the followers did not understand what he meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
33. Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum. They went into a house, and Jesus said to them, “I heard you arguing on the way here today. What were you arguing about?”
34. But the followers did not answer, because their argument on the road was about which one of them was the greatest.