12
Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt?
13
But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”
14
When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them.
15
When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.
17
One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk.
18
And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”
19
Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20
So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
21
“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy.
22
The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”