And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus echoes the father's hesitant "if" back to him, subtly turning the focus from Christ's power to the condition of the father's own belief. The statement "all things are possible for one who believes" isn't just about God's power, but about how faith itself is the key that unlocks that power in our lives.
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just returned to His disciples to find them struggling to cast a demon out of a boy, much to the taunting of the scribes. The boy's desperate father, seeking help, had pleaded with Jesus to do something "if you can." Jesus’s response directly challenges the father’s hesitant faith, placing the condition for the miracle not on Jesus's ability, but on the father's belief.
When a desperate father cried, 'If you can do anything,' Jesus turned the question back. What did He mean by this sharp retort?
The father, overwhelmed by his son's suffering and the disciples' failure, pleaded with Jesus, 'If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.' (Mark 9:22).
Jesus heard the 'if' in the father's plea and echoed it back: '“If you can!” All things are possible for one who believes.' (Mark 9:23).
This wasn't Jesus doubting His own power. Instead, He was shifting the focus. The issue wasn't whether Jesus could help; it was whether the father believed He could and would. Jesus was challenging the father's own wavering faith, highlighting that the limitation wasn't on God's power, but on human belief.
This is a profound shift: God's power is boundless, but our reception of it is often limited by our own faith.
Jesus declared, 'All things are possible for one who believes.' What does this radical statement really mean for us today?
The phrase 'all things are possible' is breathtaking in its scope. It's not just about miraculous healing or supernatural interventions, though it certainly includes those.
It speaks to the potential unlocked when a believer fully trusts God:
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This isn't a magic formula, but an invitation to partner with the One for whom nothing is impossible. Our faith doesn't empower God; it engages His power.
Understand the original words
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.
pistis · Greek Noun
Faith, trust, or confidence. It represents the conviction of the heart and the surrender of the will to God's truth and promises.
apistia · Greek Noun
The state of lacking faith, doubt, or hardheartedness toward God's revelation. It often functions as the opposite of the saving faith that receives the grace and power of God.
This encounter unfolds amidst Jesus' ministry, highlighting a stark contrast between the divine glory of the transfiguration and the earthly struggles of His disciples and the people. The failure of the disciples and the father's wavering faith underscore the spiritual battles of the time and Jesus' own frustration with pervasive unbelief.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus commissions His disciples
Jesus gives the twelve apostles and later the seventy disciples authority to heal sicknesses and cast out demons.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' transfiguration
Peter, James, and John witness Jesus' glorious transformation on a mountain, an event of profound spiritual significance.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Disciples fail to heal demon-possessed boy
After Jesus' transfiguration, the nine remaining disciples are unable to cast a demon out of a boy, leading to public questioning and shame.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus rebukes the "faithless generation"
Upon returning, Jesus expresses frustration with the spiritual doubt and unbelief of the people and His disciples.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus heals the boy and teaches about faith
Jesus confronts the demon, heals the boy instantly, and later explains to His disciples that this kind of spiritual opposition can only be overcome through prayer and deep faith.
This passage echoes the theme of divine power overcoming perceived impossibility, directly answering the question of whether anything is too hard for the Lord.
Jeremiah 32:27This verse directly states that nothing is too hard for God, reinforcing Jesus' message that with faith, all things are possible through Him.
Matthew 17:20In a parallel account of this very event, Jesus explains to the disciples that their lack of faith was the reason they couldn't cast out the demon, directly linking faith to power.
Philippians 4:13This verse expresses a similar sentiment, highlighting the believer's ability to overcome challenges not by their own strength, but through Christ who empowers them.
Hebrews 11:6This passage underscores the absolute necessity of faith, stating that without it, it is impossible to please God, thereby highlighting faith's crucial role in accessing God's power.
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 echoes the father's hesitant "if" back to him, subtly turning the focus from Christ's power to the condition of the father's own belief. The statement "all things are possible for one who believes" isn't just about God's power, but about how faith itself is the key that unlocks that power in our lives.
Jesus has just returned to His disciples to find them struggling to cast a demon out of a boy, much to the taunting of the scribes. The boy's desperate father, seeking help, had pleaded with Jesus to do something "if you can." Jesus’s response directly challenges the father’s hesitant faith, placing the condition for the miracle not on Jesus's ability, but on the father's belief.
Jesus has just returned to His disciples to find them struggling to cast a demon out of a boy, much to the taunting of the scribes. The boy's desperate father, seeking help, had pleaded with Jesus to do something "if you can." Jesus’s response directly challenges the father’s hesitant faith, placing the condition for the miracle not on Jesus's ability, but on the father's belief.
"And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”" — Jesus echoes the father's hesitant "if" back to him, subtly turning the focus from Christ's power to the condition of the father's own belief. The statement "all things are possible for one who belie…
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Last reviewed October 2026