Matthew 17:19

The NET Bible®

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why couldn't we cast it out?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

King James Version (1611)
Then came the Disciples to Iesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

King James Version
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

English Standard Version
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

New American Standard Bible
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

New Century Version
The followers came to Jesus when he was alone and asked, "Why couldn't we force the demon out?"

Amplified Bible
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, "Why could we not drive it out?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then came the disciples to Iesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?"

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Berean Standard Bible
Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

Contemporary English Version
Later the disciples went to Jesus in private and asked him, "Why couldn't we force out the demon?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Then the talmidim went to him privately and said, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

Darby Translation
Then the disciples, coming to Jesus apart, said [to him], Why were not *we* able to cast him out?

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the followers came to Jesus alone. They said, "We tried to force the demon out of the boy, but we could not. Why were we not able to make the demon go out?"

George Lamsa Translation
Then the disciples came up to Jesus when he was alone, and said to him, Why could we not heal him?

Good News Translation
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, "Why couldn't we drive the demon out?"

Lexham English Bible
Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, Why were we not able to expel it?"

Literal Translation
Then coming up to Jesus privately, the disciples said, Why were we not able to cast him out?

American Standard Version
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out?

Bible in Basic English
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, Why were we not able to send it out?

Hebrew Names Version
Then the talmidim came to Yeshua privately, and said, "Why weren't we able to cast it out?"

International Standard Version
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

Etheridge Translation
Then came the disciples to Jeshu by himself, and said to him, Why were we not able to heal him?

Murdock Translation
Then came the disciples to Jesus, apart, and said to him: Why could not we heal him?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then came the disciples to Iesus secretely, and sayde: why coulde not we cast hym out?

English Revised Version
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out?

World English Bible
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, "Why were we not able to cast it out?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then the disciples coming to Jesus apart said, Why could not we cast him out?

Weymouth's New Testament
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked Him, "Why could not we expel the demon?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne the disciplis camen to Jhesu priueli, and seiden to hym, Whi myyten not we caste hym out?

Update Bible Version
Then the disciples came to Jesus apart, and said, Why couldn't we cast it out?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

New King James Version
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

New Living Translation
Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"

New Life Bible
The followers came to Jesus when He was alone. They said, "Why were we not able to put the demon out?"

New Revised Standard
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, the disciples, coming near, to Jesus, privately, said - Wherefore could, we, not cast it out?

Douay-Rheims Bible
(17-18) Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out?

Revised Standard Version
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then came the disciples to Iesus secretly and sayde: Why could not we cast him out?

Young's Literal Translation
Then the disciples having come to Jesus by himself, said, `Wherefore were we not able to cast him out?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then came the disciples vnto Iesus secretly, & sayde: Why coude not we cast him out?

Mace New Testament (1729)
then came the disciples to Jesus in private, and said, why could not we cast him out?

THE MESSAGE
When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, "Why couldn't we throw it out?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
The cowboys asked Jesus, "How come we couldn't rope and drag that ol' demon out?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, ¹⁵ and said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. ¹⁶ I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him." ¹⁷ Jesus answered, "You unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him here to me." ¹⁸ Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment. ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why couldn't we cast it out?" ²⁰ He told them, "It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you." When they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." And they became greatly distressed. After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn't he?" He said, "Yes." When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes—from their sons or from foreigners?" After he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. But so that we don't offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you." ²¹The Transfiguration Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain. And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him. So Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Do not be afraid." When they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead." The disciples asked him, "Why then do the experts in the law say that Elijah must come first?" He answered, "Elijah does indeed come first and will restore all things. And I tell you that Elijah has already come. Yet they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist. When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him." Jesus answered, "You unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him here to me." Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why couldn't we cast it out?" He told them, "It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Mark 4:10, Mark 9:28

Reciprocal: Judges 1:19 - but could Job 22:30 - pureness Psalms 106:34 - did not Matthew 17:16 - and they Matthew 24:3 - the disciples Mark 9:18 - and they Acts 3:16 - through 1 Corinthians 12:9 - faith 2 Corinthians 6:13 - be

Cross-References

Genesis 17:2
Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants."

Genesis 17:3
Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him,

Genesis 17:6
I will make you extremely fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

Genesis 17:9
Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

Genesis 17:10
This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.

Genesis 17:13
They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.

Genesis 17:14
Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people—he has failed to carry out my requirement."

Genesis 17:16
I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. Kings of countries will come from her!"

Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, "Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"

Genesis 17:20
As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart,.... Or "secretly", as the Vulgate Latin, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel read; that is, privately, and when alone; and as Mark says, "when he was come into the house"; and was by himself, then came the nine disciples to him, to converse with him about this matter,

and said unto him, why could not we cast him out? That is, the devil, and so cure the lunatic; the Syriac and Persic versions render it, "why could not we heal him?" The lunatic; which only could be done by casting out the demon: they were concerned, fearing they had lost the power which Christ had bestowed on them, and wanted to know what they had done, which had deprived them of it; and what should be the cause of their late unsuccessful attempt, when they had so frequently triumphed over the unclean spirits, that were subject to them. Though they might have learned from the answer Christ gave to the father of the lunatic, and the general character of the Jewish nations in that answer, the true reason of their own inability; but this they took no notice of, imagining it belonged entirely to others, and not to them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then came the disciples ... - This inquiry was made in some house to which they retired near the place where the miracle was performed (Mark). Jesus told them, in reply, that it was because of their unbelief that they had not been able to cast him out. They were appalled by the difficulty of the case and the obstinacy of the disease. Their faith would not have made it more easy for God to work this miracle, but such was his will - such the way in which he worked miracles, that he required faith in those who were the instruments.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 17:19. Why could not we cast him out? — They were confounded at their want of success-but not at their want of faith, which was the cause of their miscarriage! When the ministers of the Gospel find their endeavours, with respect to some places or persons, ineffectual, they should come, by private prayer, to Christ, humble themselves before him, and beg to be informed whether some evil in themselves have not been the cause of the unfruitfulness of their labours.