18. The spirit attacks him and throws him on the ground. My son foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes very stiff. I asked your followers to force the evil spirit out, but they couldn’t.”
19. Jesus answered, “You people don’t believe! How long must I stay with you? How long must I go on being patient with you? Bring the boy to me!”
20. So the followers brought him to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it attacked the boy. He fell down and rolled on the ground, foaming from his mouth.
21. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening?”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 for him, please have pity on us and help us.”
23. Jesus said to the father, “You said, ‘If you can!’ All things are possible for him who believes.”
24. Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help me to believe more!”
25. Jesus saw that a crowd was running there to see what was happening. So he spoke to the evil spirit, saying, “You deaf and dumb spirit—I command you to come out of this boy and never enter him again!”
26. The evil spirit screamed and caused the boy to fall on the ground again. Then the spirit came out. The boy looked as if he were dead. And many people said, “He is dead!”
27. But Jesus took hold of the boy’s hand and helped him to stand up.
28. Jesus went into the house. His followers were alone with him there. They said, “Why couldn’t we force that evil spirit out?”
29. Jesus answered, “That kind of spirit can only be forced out by prayer.”
30. Then Jesus and his followers left that place and went through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where he was
31. because he wanted to teach his followers alone. He said to them, “The Son of Man will be given to men who will kill him. After three days, he will rise from death.”
32. But the followers did not understand what Jesus meant. And they were afraid to ask.
33. Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum and went into a house there. Then Jesus said to them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”
34. But the followers did not answer, because their argument on the road was about which one of them was the greatest.
35. Jesus sat down and called the 12 apostles to him. He said, “If anyone wants to be the most important, then he must be last of all and servant of all.”
36. Then Jesus took a small child and had him stand among them. He took the child in his arms and said,
37. “If anyone accepts children like these in my name, then he is also accepting me. And if he accepts me, then he is also accepting the One who sent me.”