And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus redirects the father's hesitant "if you can" back to him, highlighting that the real condition isn't Jesus' ability, but the father's capacity to believe. This emphasizes that the barrier to divine power isn't God's limitation, but our own unbelief.
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus encounters the chaos of His disciples' failure to heal a tormented boy, a situation that has drawn a crowd and the critical scribes. The boy's desperate father pleads with Jesus, expressing his doubt about Jesus' ability to help, which Jesus immediately challenges by turning the condition back onto the father's belief. This sets the stage for a profound exchange about the nature of faith and God's limitless power.
When a desperate father cries out, 'If you can do anything,' Jesus throws the challenge right back. What's behind this surprising response?
Jesus doesn't question His own power; the father's 'if' reveals a doubt lurking in his heart. Jesus echoes the father's phrase, "'If you can'!" not to question His ability, but to highlight the father's uncertainty.
This isn't about Jesus lacking power. The original Greek suggests Jesus is picking up on the father's hesitant question and turning the focus back onto the man's own capacity to believe that Jesus can do something. It's a gentle, yet firm, redirection, preparing the father for the powerful truth that follows.
Jesus declares, 'All things are possible for one who believes.' What does this really mean for us today?
This statement is profoundly simple yet incredibly deep. Jesus isn't saying that everything we wish for will happen. Instead, He's highlighting that for the person whose heart is truly aligned with God through faith, there are no limits to what God can accomplish.
Faith, in this context, is not a passive wish but an active trust. It's the key that unlocks God's omnipotence. When we believe, we align ourselves with God's power, making His possibilities our own reality. The original text uses a phrase that can be understood as 'all things are possible to the one who believes,' suggesting faith is the channel through which God's power flows to us.
Understand the original words
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pisteuō · Greek Verb
To trust, rely upon, or have confidence in someone or something. In the New Testament, it denotes an active, saving trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Son of God.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus travels and teaches throughout Galilee, performing numerous miracles and gathering a large following, while also facing opposition from religious leaders.
Early 1st century AD
The Transfiguration
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a high mountain where he is transfigured before them, speaking with Moses and Elijah.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Disciples' Failure to Heal
Following the Transfiguration, Jesus and the three disciples descend the mountain to find the other disciples unable to cast a demon out of a boy. Scribes are present and arguing with the disciples.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Heals the Boy
Jesus confronts the 'faithless generation,' rebukes the unclean spirit, and heals the boy. The father confesses his belief, asking Jesus to help his unbelief.
Early 1st century AD
Disciples Ask Jesus Privately
Later, in private, the disciples ask Jesus why they could not cast out the demon, and Jesus explains that this kind can only come out by prayer.
This passage directly echoes the theme of God's power and possibility, as demonstrated in the question, 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' This serves as a foundational reminder that with God, all things are indeed possible, aligning with Jesus' statement in Mark 9:23.
Jeremiah 32:17The prophet Jeremiah's exclamation, 'Ah, Lord GOD! It is thou that hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and by thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for thee,' powerfully reinforces the concept of divine omnipotence. It highlights that God's capacity to act is boundless, providing a profound theological basis for Jesus' assertion about belief.
Matthew 19:26Jesus' words to his disciples, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,' spoken after the rich young ruler departed sorrowfully, directly correlate with the verse in Mark. Both passages underscore that human limitations are overcome by divine power when faith is present.
Romans 4:20-21This passage describes Abraham's unwavering faith, not wavering in disbelief but growing strong through faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that God would do what He had promised. This exemplifies the kind of faith that Jesus points to in Mark 9:23, a faith that trusts God's promises and power implicitly.
Philippians 4:13The apostle Paul's confident declaration, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,' directly relates to the enabling power that comes through faith. It shows that the believer, empowered by Christ, can accomplish what seems impossible, echoing the principle in Mark 9:23.
pooleMark 9:23: "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
See Poole on "Mark 9:17"
expositorsMark 9:14-29: "And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them."
CHAPTER 9:14-29 (Mark 9:14-29)THE DEMONIAC BOY "And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the multitude, when they saw Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him. And He asked them, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered Him, Master, I brought un…
Jesus redirects the father's hesitant "if you can" back to him, highlighting that the real condition isn't Jesus' ability, but the father's capacity to believe. This emphasizes that the barrier to divine power isn't God's limitation, but our own unbelief.
Jesus encounters the chaos of His disciples' failure to heal a tormented boy, a situation that has drawn a crowd and the critical scribes. The boy's desperate father pleads with Jesus, expressing his doubt about Jesus' ability to help, which Jesus immediately challenges by turning the condition back onto the father's belief. This sets the stage for a profound exchange about the nature of faith and God's limitless power.
Jesus encounters the chaos of His disciples' failure to heal a tormented boy, a situation that has drawn a crowd and the critical scribes. The boy's desperate father pleads with Jesus, expressing his doubt about Jesus' ability to help, which Jesus immediately challenges by turning the condition back onto the father's belief. This sets the stage for a profound exchange about the nature of faith and God's limitless power.
"And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”" — Jesus redirects the father's hesitant "if you can" back to him, highlighting that the real condition isn't Jesus' ability, but the father's capacity to believe. This emphasizes that the barrier to…
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Last reviewed October 2026