Matthew 17:15"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic, and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.
The setting
Mount Hermon region, Northern Israel, ~29 AD. A desperate father approaches Jesus after coming down from the mountain where Peter, James and John witnessed the Transfiguration...
The emotion here: frantic desperation watching his child suffer daily
The original word
eleēson (ἐλέησον) — show mercy, from the gut-wrenching compassion that moves to action
Why it matters
Epilepsy was often attributed to demon possession in first-century Palestine, making families social outcasts
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 17:15
The father uses medical terminology — 'epileptic' — showing he understood this was a medical condition, not just spiritual
Common misconceptionPeople think this father lacked faith, but he correctly identified Jesus as 'Lord' and understood his son's medical condition. His faith was actually quite mature.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 17:15
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 17:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 17:15 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to desperate father. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include desperation, parental love, seeking help. Notable phrases: Lord, have mercy; suffers grievously; falls into fire. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Matthew 17:15 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "anxious"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.