And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The father's description of the boy's condition goes beyond just foaming and grinding teeth; it details a deep physical wasting, a "pineth away," suggesting the demonic influence was literally draining the life force from his son. This highlights the devastating, pervasive nature of evil, not just as a spiritual attack, but one that cripples the body and consumes vitality.
And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just returned from the Mount of Transfiguration to find his other disciples unable to cast a demon out of a boy. The boy's father describes the violent, debilitating seizures the spirit inflicts, explaining that even Jesus' own disciples failed to help him. This failure happens in front of a crowd and the critical scribes, setting the stage for Jesus to confront the lack of faith that led to this defeat.
This father’s description of his son’s torment is raw and gut-wrenching. It paints a picture of suffering that’s hard to ignore.
The father’s words, 'whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid,' reveal the terrifying power of the affliction. It’s not a gentle ailment, but a violent force that tears and ravages the boy.
A Physical and Spiritual Assault
The description includes:
This wasn't just a sickness; it was an invasion, a brutalizing force that left the boy vulnerable and broken.
The father’s plea to Jesus includes a painful admission: His own disciples couldn’t help. What does this failure reveal about their spiritual state?
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The father’s statement, 'So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able,' points to a critical moment of spiritual deficit. Jesus had given his disciples authority over demons, and they had experienced success before. Yet, in this crucial moment, they failed.
Why the Failure?
Jesus later explains the reason for their inability to cast out the demon:
Understand the original words
katalambanō · Greek Verb
To take possession of forcibly or suddenly, often used regarding demonic spirits overpowering a human being to exercise control over their body.
ekballō · Greek Verb
To expel or drive out, particularly used in the Gospels for the authoritative act of removing demonic spirits from people by the power of God.
This event unfolds during a period of intense ministry and public scrutiny. The disciples' failure highlights the spiritual opposition they faced and the need for deeper faith and dependence on God, especially as Jesus' own ministry faced increasing conflict.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus commissions the Twelve
Jesus gives his twelve closest disciples authority to cast out demons and heal the sick, empowering them for ministry.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' ministry gains momentum
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching, healing, and casting out demons, drawing large crowds and increasing attention from religious leaders.
Early 1st century AD
The Transfiguration event
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain where He is transfigured, speaking with Moses and Elijah, and revealing His divine glory.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Disciples attempt to cast out a demon
While Jesus is on the mountain with three disciples, the remaining nine attempt to cast a demon out of a boy but fail.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus heals the demon-possessed boy
Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, casts it out, and heals the boy, much to the amazement of the crowd and His disciples.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus explains the disciples' failure
Later, the disciples ask Jesus why they couldn't cast out the demon, and He explains it was due to their lack of faith and requires prayer.
This parallel account highlights the disciples' inability to cast out the demon and Jesus' explanation that it was due to their lack of faith, directly addressing the failure mentioned in Mark 9:18.
Luke 9:37-43Luke's Gospel also records this event, emphasizing the severity of the affliction and Jesus' compassion in healing the boy when the disciples failed.
Exodus 4:10-12This passage shows Moses expressing his own inadequacy and stammering speech when called by God, mirroring the disciples' struggle and inability to perform the task, highlighting God's power through human weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10Paul's declaration that God's power is made perfect in weakness speaks to the broader theme that divine ability is often most evident when human efforts fail, as seen with the disciples' inability to cast out the demon.
1 Samuel 16:14-23This narrative about King Saul being tormented by an evil spirit and finding relief through David's music parallels the description of a severe affliction and the need for a divine solution, though the method of deliverance differs.
barnesMark 9:18: "And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not."
And wheresoever - In whatever place - at home or abroad, alone or in public. He teareth him - He rends, distracts, or throws him into convulsions. He foameth - At the mouth, like a mad animal. Among us these would all be considered as marks of violent derangement or madness. And pineth away - Bec…
bengelMark 9:18: "And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not."
Mark 9:18 . Καταλάβῃ , he taketh him) The term [demoniacal] possession, seems too narrow to express the idea here.
The father's description of the boy's condition goes beyond just foaming and grinding teeth; it details a deep physical wasting, a "pineth away," suggesting the demonic influence was literally draining the life force from his son. This highlights the devastating, pervasive nature of evil, not just as a spiritual attack, but one that cripples the body and consumes vitality.
Jesus has just returned from the Mount of Transfiguration to find his other disciples unable to cast a demon out of a boy. The boy's father describes the violent, debilitating seizures the spirit inflicts, explaining that even Jesus' own disciples failed to help him. This failure happens in front of a crowd and the critical scribes, setting the stage for Jesus to confront the lack of faith that led to this defeat.
Jesus has just returned from the Mount of Transfiguration to find his other disciples unable to cast a demon out of a boy. The boy's father describes the violent, debilitating seizures the spirit inflicts, explaining that even Jesus' own disciples failed to help him. This failure happens in front of a crowd and the critical scribes, setting the stage for Jesus to confront the lack of faith that led to this defeat.
"And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”" — The father's description of the boy's condition goes beyond just foaming and grinding teeth; it details a deep physical wasting, a "pineth away," suggesting the demonic influence was literally draini…
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Last reviewed October 2026