Matthew 17:20 · Clearspring

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Other translations

WEBBE

He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

BSB

“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

KJV

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

ASV

And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

BBE

And he says to them, Because of your little faith: for truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Be moved from this place to that; and it will be moved; and nothing will be impossible to you.

Original Greek

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Ὁ Ho (the) G3588 δὲ de And G1161 Ἰησοῦς Iēsous Jesus G2424 λέγει legei spoke G3004 αὐτοῖς autois to them G846 διὰ dia Because of G1223 τὴν tēn the G3588 ὀλιγοπιστίαν oligopistian little faith G6066 ὑμῶν humōn of you G4771 ἀμὴν amēn Amen G281 γὰρ gar for G1063 λέγω legō I say G3004 ὑμῖν humin to you G4771 ἐὰν ean If G1437 ἔχητε echēte you shall have G2192 πίστιν pistin faith G4102 ὡς hōs as G5613 κόκκον kokkon a seed G2848 σινάπεως sinapeōs of mustard G4615 ἐρεῖτε ereite you will say G4483 τῷ tō to the G3588 ὄρει orei mountain G3735 τούτῳ toutō to this G3778 μετάβα metaba do move G3327 ἔνθεν enthen from here G6033 ἐκεῖ ekei to there G1563 καὶ kai and G2532 μεταβήσεται metabēsetai it will move G3327 καὶ kai And G2532 οὐδὲν ouden no [thing] G3762 ἀδυνατήσει adunatēsei will be impossible G101 ὑμῖν.¶ humin for you G4771

The early church

All 8

Or, all faith is likened to a grain of mustard-seed, because faith is looked on with contempt by men, and shows as something poor and mean; but when a seed of this kind lights upon a good heart as its soil, it becomes a great tree. The weakness of this lunatic's faith is yet so great, and Christ is so strong to heal him amidst all his evils, that He likens it to a mountain which cannot be cast out but by the whole faith of him who desires to heal afflictions of this sort.

Origen of Alexandria · d. 253Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

The Apostles had believed, yet their faith was imperfect; while the Lord tarried in the mount, and they abode below with the multitude, then faith had become stagnant.

Hilary of Poitiers · d. 367Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

This is what the Lord says in another place, Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name believing, ye shall receive. (John 16:23.) Therefore when we receive not, it is not the weakness of Him that gives, but the fault of them that ask. Mat. 21:22.) Some think that the faith that is compared to a grain of mustard-seed is a little faith, whereas the Apostle says, If I shall have such faith that I could remove mountains. (1 Cor. 13:2.) The faith therefore which is compared to a grain of mustard-seed is a great faith. Or; the mountain is not said of that which we see with the eyes of the body, but signified that spirit which was removed by the Lord out of the lunatic, who is said by the Prophet to be the corrupter of the whole earth...

Jerome · d. 420Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

(ubi sup.) Otherwise; That the disciples in working their miracles should not be lifted up with pride, they are warned rather by the humbleness of their faith, as by a grain of mustard-seed, to take care that they remove all pride of earth, which is signified by the mountain in this place.

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

(Mor. pref. c. 2.) The mustard-seed, unless it be bruised, does not give out its qualities, so if persecution fall upon a holy man, straightway what had seemed weak and contemptible in him is roused into the heat and fervour of virtue.

Gregory the Dialogist · d. 604Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 14–21

The case of afflicted children should be presented to God by faithful and fervent prayer. Christ cured the child. Though the people were perverse, and Christ was provoked, yet care was taken of the child. When all other helps and succours fail, we are welcome to Christ, may trust in him, and in his power and goodness. See here an emblem of Christ's undertaking as our Redeemer. It encourages parents to bring children to Christ, whose souls are under Satan's power; he is able to heal them, and as willing as he is able. Not only bring them to Christ by prayer, but bring them to the word of Christ; to means by which Satan's strong-holds in the soul are beaten down. It is good for us to distrust ourselves and our own strength; but it is displeasing to Christ when we distrust any power derived from him, or granted by him. There was also something in the malady which rendered the cure difficult. The extraordinary power of Satan must not discourage our faith, but quicken us to more earnestness in praying to God for the increase of it. Do we wonder to see Satan's bodily possession of this young man from a child, when we see his spiritual possession of every son of Adam from the fall!

Read Matthew Henry on Matthew 17 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Mark 11:22–23 Luke 17:6

Cross-references

16

People & places

Jesus

Topics

Miracles Unbelief Mountain