While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text highlights the immediate, violent reaction of the demon as Jesus approached, indicating that the spiritual realm recognized and fought against Christ's power. This wasn't just a passive illness; it was an active, combative spiritual force desperately trying to hold its ground.
While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this, Jesus' disciples had failed to cast out a demon from a boy, leading to a crowd and a tense confrontation with the scribes. As Jesus and the boy's father approached, the demon violently convulsed the child, throwing him to the ground in a final, desperate act before Jesus' authoritative command would expel it. This moment highlights the intense struggle and the dramatic display of God's power to overcome even the fiercest spiritual opposition.
This boy's struggle was terrifying, a violent and dramatic scene. What does this reveal about the spiritual warfare at play?
Luke vividly describes the demon's final, desperate act as Jesus approached. The original Greek words paint a picture of extreme violence: the demon 'threw him down' (erhixen) and 'convulsed him' (sunesspāraxen). These terms suggest a violent tearing and writhing, a seizure so intense that the boy was left on the ground, almost lifeless. This wasn't just a mild affliction; it was a destructive force aimed at agony and ruin. It highlights the brutal nature of the spiritual enemy's work when confronted by Christ's presence.
After such a violent struggle, how could healing be so immediate and complete?
The contrast between the demon's violent thrashing and the boy's instant healing is striking. Jesus didn't need a lengthy ritual or a complex prayer. His response was a simple, authoritative rebuke: 'Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit.' This single command was enough to break the demon's power. The text then states Jesus 'healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.' This speaks to the completeness of Christ's work. It wasn't just about removing the demon; it was about restoring the child fully, returning him to his family in a state of wholeness.
Understand the original words
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daimonion · Greek Noun
A spirit or power belonging to the realm of evil and darkness that is opposed to God. In the New Testament, these entities often possess humans to cause physical and spiritual harm, standing in direct contrast to the holiness of God.
epitimaō · Greek Verb
An authoritative command used by Jesus to silence, restrain, or cast out demonic powers. It signifies the absolute sovereignty and supremacy of Jesus over the spiritual forces of evil.
This powerful encounter happened right after the transfiguration and during a period of Jesus' public ministry, highlighting a moment where the disciples' inability to heal contrasted sharply with Jesus' immediate and authoritative power over demonic forces.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, Judea, and surrounding regions, teaching, healing, and performing miracles. His fame spread rapidly, drawing large crowds and opposition from religious leaders.
c. AD 29
Transfiguration Event
Immediately before this event, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain where he was transfigured, appearing in glory with Moses and Elijah. This powerful spiritual experience was followed by a descent into a valley filled with a large crowd and the disciples.
c. AD 29
Disciples' Failure to Heal
While Jesus was on the mountain, the other disciples attempted to cast out a demon from a boy but were unable to do so. This failure led to a dispute with the scribes who were present, highlighting the disciples' limited spiritual authority at that time.
c. AD 29— this verse
Confrontation with Demoniac Boy
As Jesus descended and approached the crowd, the demon-possessed boy experienced a violent convulsion, throwing him to the ground. This dramatic event occurred precisely as the father brought the boy to Jesus, emphasizing the immediate and intense nature of the affliction.
c. AD 29
Jesus Rebukes Spirit and Heals Boy
Jesus directly confronted and rebuked the unclean spirit, commanding it to leave the boy. The spirit was cast out, and the boy was instantly healed and restored to his father, demonstrating Jesus' supreme authority over demonic forces.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Arrest and Crucifixion
Following his Galilean ministry, Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, where he was arrested, tried, and crucified. His death and resurrection became the central focus of the early Christian message.
This passage provides a more detailed account of the same event, highlighting the child's violent convulsions and the father's plea to Jesus, emphasizing the desperate need for divine intervention.
Matthew 17:14-20This parallel account describes a similar situation where Jesus heals a boy from a demon that caused him to fall into fire and water, underscoring Jesus' authority over demonic forces that even his disciples could not overcome.
1 John 4:4This verse reassures believers that the Spirit who is in them is greater than the spirit of the world, offering a theological framework for understanding Jesus' power to rebuke and cast out the evil spirit with a single word.
Acts 10:38This passage describes how God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, providing context for the miraculous healing seen in Luke 9:42.
vincentLuke 9:42: "And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father."
Threw him down (ἔῤῥηξεν)See on teareth, Mark 9:18.Tare (συνεσπάραξεν)Only here in New Testament. Convulse, which is the exact Latin equivalent, would, perhaps, be the nearest rendering. Σπαραγμός, a kindred noun, is the word for a cramp.
clarkeLuke 9:42: "And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father."
The devil threw him down, and tare him - See this case considered at large, on Matthew 17:15-18 (note), and on Mark 9:14-27 (note).
The text highlights the immediate, violent reaction of the demon as Jesus approached, indicating that the spiritual realm recognized and fought against Christ's power. This wasn't just a passive illness; it was an active, combative spiritual force desperately trying to hold its ground.
Just before this, Jesus' disciples had failed to cast out a demon from a boy, leading to a crowd and a tense confrontation with the scribes. As Jesus and the boy's father approached, the demon violently convulsed the child, throwing him to the ground in a final, desperate act before Jesus' authoritative command would expel it. This moment highlights the intense struggle and the dramatic display of God's power to overcome even the fiercest spiritual opposition.
Just before this, Jesus' disciples had failed to cast out a demon from a boy, leading to a crowd and a tense confrontation with the scribes. As Jesus and the boy's father approached, the demon violently convulsed the child, throwing him to the ground in a final, desperate act before Jesus' authoritative command would expel it. This moment highlights the intense struggle and the dramatic display of God's power to overcome even the fiercest spiritual opposition.
"While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father." — The text highlights the immediate, violent reaction of the demon as Jesus approached, indicating that the spiritual realm recognized and fought against Christ's power. This wasn't just a passive illn…
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Last reviewed October 2026