Matthew 17:19 kjv
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Matthew 17:19 nkjv
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"
Matthew 17:19 niv
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
Matthew 17:19 esv
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"
Matthew 17:19 nlt
Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
Matthew 17 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 9:14-29 | ...When they came to the other disciples... and He asked them, "What are you discussing?" And someone from the crowd answered Him... | Parallel account, adding detail on prayer and fasting. |
| Lk 9:37-43 | ...On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain... a man from the crowd cried out... | Parallel account of the event. |
| Mt 10:1 | Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out... | Previous empowerment of the disciples. |
| Mk 3:15 | ...and to have authority to cast out demons. | Confirmation of disciples' authority to cast out demons. |
| Lk 9:1 | And He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons... | Confirmation of disciples' authority. |
| Lk 10:17 | The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!" | Disciples previously experienced success in exorcism. |
| Mt 15:15 | Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." | Disciples frequently seeking clarification from Jesus. |
| Mt 19:27 | Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You..." | Disciples questioning their efforts and reward. |
| Mt 24:3 | As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be?" | Disciples asking private, significant questions. |
| Lk 17:5 | The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" | Disciples' awareness of their need for more faith. |
| Mt 17:20 | He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed..." | Jesus' immediate answer to their question. |
| Lk 17:6 | And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed..." | Jesus' teaching on the power of even small faith. |
| Jas 5:14-15 | Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders... And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick... | Emphasis on faith and prayer in healing/deliverance. |
| Acts 19:13-16 | But also some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus... | Example of those trying to cast out demons without true spiritual basis. |
| Jn 14:12 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these..." | Promise of power through faith in Christ for believers. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please Him... | Foundation of faith for God's approval and power. |
| 1 Cor 12:9 | ...to another faith by the same Spirit... | Faith as a gift from the Holy Spirit. |
| Mk 11:23 | "Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt..." | Jesus' teaching on faith and speaking with authority. |
| Phil 2:9-10 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus... | Power and authority in the name of Jesus. |
| Eph 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers... | The spiritual nature of demonic opposition. |
Matthew 17 verses
Matthew 17 19 Meaning
Matthew 17:19 recounts the moment after the disciples' failed attempt to cast out a demon from a boy. Confused by their inability, given their previous empowerment by Jesus, they approach Him privately to inquire the reason for their lack of success. This verse highlights their genuine question and sets the stage for Jesus' crucial teaching on faith and spiritual power.
Matthew 17 19 Context
Matthew chapter 17 is pivotal, transitioning from the pinnacle experience of the Transfiguration to a sobering reality check. Jesus descends from the mountain of glory with Peter, James, and John, only to be met by a desperate crowd and His other disciples' failed attempt at ministry. Just prior to verse 19, Jesus has powerfully cast out the demon that had afflicted the boy since childhood (vv. 14-18), highlighting His unparalleled authority contrasted with the disciples' current inability.
Historically and culturally, the first-century Jewish world acknowledged the reality of spiritual beings, including demons, and practiced forms of exorcism, though often ineffectively. The disciples themselves had previously been empowered by Jesus to cast out demons (Matthew 10:1, Mark 3:15, Luke 9:1). Their failure here, immediately after the display of Jesus' own glory and power at the Transfiguration, was perplexing to them. Their private questioning in verse 19 indicates not only their humility and desire to learn but also their bewilderment that their prior delegated authority seemed to have failed them in this instance. It sets the stage for Jesus to explain the essential role of deep faith, prayer, and potentially fasting, in spiritual warfare.
Matthew 17 19 Word analysis
- Then (Τότε - Tote): This Greek temporal particle signifies a direct sequence or immediate occurrence after the previous event. It emphasizes that the disciples' question arises directly from their recent failure and Jesus' subsequent success.
- the disciples (οἱ μαθηταὶ - hoi mathētai): Refers specifically to the twelve followers of Jesus who were being trained for ministry. It's significant that it is these empowered individuals who are struggling.
- came to (προσελθόντες - proselthontes): An aorist participle indicating their physical approach to Jesus. It implies intentional seeking and direct interaction.
- Jesus (τῷ Ἰησοῦ - tō Iēsou): The ultimate authority and source of power and wisdom. They naturally turn to their Master for answers.
- privately (κατ’ ἰδίαν - kat' idian): "According to one's own" (referring to their private place or situation, away from the multitude). This suggests several possibilities:
- Embarrassment: They might have felt ashamed of their failure in public.
- Seriousness of the inquiry: They desired a focused, personal instruction that the public setting wouldn't allow.
- Specific teaching: The topic might be meant for the inner circle, concerning deeper principles of spiritual warfare.
- and said (εἶπαν - eipan): Simple verb of speaking, introducing their direct question.
- 'Why (Διὰ τί - Dia ti): "Through what?" or "For what reason?". This interrogative phrase seeks a cause or explanation for their lack of success. It indicates confusion rather than defiance or complaint.
- could we not (οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν - ouk ēdynēthēmen): "Were we not able?". Ouk (negation) with ēdynēthēmen (aorist passive of dynama, meaning "to be able," "to have power"). This emphasizes a genuine lack of ability or empowerment at that moment, despite having possessed it previously. It is a confession of their present powerlessness.
- cast it out (ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό - ekbalein auto): Ekballein means "to cast out," "to expel." Auto (it/him) refers to the demon. This phrase highlights their specific failed action, directly related to their delegated authority.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- Then the disciples came to Jesus privately: This grouping highlights the immediate consequence of their public failure and their strategic decision to seek Jesus’ counsel away from the crowd. It signifies their commitment to understanding their spiritual weakness and growing in their ministry.
- and said, "Why could we not cast it out?": This reveals the core issue. The disciples had a mandate and a prior history of success, yet here they encountered an insurmountable obstacle. Their question is not about if they should cast out demons, but why their given authority seemed inoperative in this specific case. This leads directly to Jesus' profound teaching about the necessity of faith, prayer, and potentially fasting, in overcoming spiritual strongholds.
Matthew 17 19 Bonus section
- The incident underscores a recurrent theme in the Gospels: the disciples' journey of learning and growth, marked by moments of success intertwined with failure, pointing to their ultimate reliance on Christ.
- This verse subtly highlights the difference between delegated authority (which the disciples had) and the actual exercise of that authority through a deep, active faith. Having the "power" did not mean they possessed it independently of their relationship with Jesus and their spiritual state.
- The "privately" aspect implies an intimate teaching moment that goes beyond a public rebuke, suggesting a desire from Jesus to nurture and develop His inner circle.
Matthew 17 19 Commentary
Matthew 17:19 serves as a crucial interlude, transitioning from the raw failure of the disciples to Jesus' illuminating teaching. Their private query, "Why could we not cast it out?", demonstrates a commendable humility and a genuine desire for deeper understanding, rather than stubbornness or despair. It indicates their realization that their earlier commission and authority (Mt 10:1) did not automatically guarantee success in every spiritual encounter. This moment highlights that spiritual power, while granted by Christ, is not wielded mechanistically. Instead, its effective exercise depends on the spiritual condition of the minister – specifically, on their level of faith, prayer, and deep reliance on God, which Jesus addresses in the subsequent verse (v. 20 and Mk 9:29). The disciples' question prompts Jesus to explain that the problem lay not with the demon's strength or the nature of the authority He had given them, but with their "little faith." This provides a foundational lesson for all believers in spiritual warfare: genuine power comes not from human strength or technical skill, but from unwavering faith and communion with God.