19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and said, "Why were we not able to cast it out?" [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, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move — and nothing will be impossible for you."
MAT 17:19-20
The Power of Faith
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Jewish context, faith was deeply tied to trust in God’s power and faithfulness, particularly in moments of crisis or need. The disciples’ inability to cast out the demon reflects their lack of confidence in God’s authority working through them, a failure Jesus attributes to their , or 'little faith.' This term critiques not their belief in God’s existence but their hesitation to fully rely on His power. The mustard seed was a common metaphor for something small yet potent, often used in Jewish teaching to illustrate how even minimal faith, when genuine, could produce extraordinary results. The image of moving mountains was hyperbolic, echoing Jewish apocalyptic language where mountains symbolized insurmountable obstacles. For Jesus’ audience, this would underscore the limitless possibilities of faith rooted in God’s sovereignty, contrasting with the disciples’ faltering trust.
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How other translations render this
MAT 17:19
- KJV
- Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
- BSB
- Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldnʼt we drive it out?”
- Koinōnos
- Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and said, "Why were we not able to cast it out?
MAT 17:20
- KJV
- And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
- BSB
- “Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
- Koinōnos
- 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, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move — and nothing will be impossible for you.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 17:19
- private:The word translated 'private' here emphasizes that the disciples took Jesus aside for a personal, one-on-one conversation, distinct from the public setting.
MAT 17:20
- the:The term used here, translated as 'the' (referring to their lack of faith), specifically denotes a smallness or deficiency of faith, rather than a complete absence of it.
- you shall have:The word translated 'faith' in this context carries the sense of trust, conviction, and reliance, implying a confident belief in someone or something.
- as:The word translated 'as' (referring to a mustard seed) specifically means a grain or seed, highlighting its small, seemingly insignificant size.