☰ Stories 15
15
AN EVIL SPIRIT WAS CONTROLLING* A CHILD IN A WRONG WAY. JESUS HEALED HIM
Jesus returned from another country to his men.
They were in the middle of a mob [lit. 'many (people)']. Some Jewish teachers were arguing with Jesus' (mob/group). Then the people saw Jesus, they hurried to meet him. (They said,) “That's great! You have come!”
He asked them, “What were you arguing with them about?” One man said to him, “Teacher, an evil spirit has taken control of my child†. He is unable to speak. The spirit grabs hold of him, throws him on the ground. Saliva springs up out of his mouth and he grinds his teeth and his body goes very stiff.
Because of that I brought him to you, for you to heal him (lit. 'you will heal him'). I asked your (plural, = 'mob') to send the evil spirit right away from him. Nothing. Unsuccessfully‡ they sent it away.”
Then Jesus said to his (mob), “You really did not trust God. Which way is it? You are still unbelievers! Bring the child to me.”
They brought him to him. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus it grabbed the child, it was making him twitch / jerk§ uncontrollably.
Then the child fell to the ground, he was rolling this way and that way, saliva was running out of his mouth.
Jesus asked the child's father, “When did he become like this?” He answered, “When he was a child. Often the spirit used to throw him into fire, into water, attempting to kill him. Have pity on us*. Perhaps you will heal him?”
In response Jesus said to him, “Yes, I know how to heal him. Why did you speak to me with that word, 'Perhaps you will heal him'? You should believe God. Then you will ask God for whatever, truly he knows about that very thing, how to do it.”
Then and there that father cried out loudly, “I believe God. Teach me how to believe properly!”
Then Jesus said sternly to the evil spirit, “You habitually-bad evil spirit, you made this child deaf, you made him silent for speech. Leave him alone! Go right away elsewhere! Do not again take control of him!”
The evil spirit cried out, he was making the child twitch / jerk uncontrollably on the ground, then he left, he went right away for ever.
The child was like a corpse. Many were saying, “Truly he's dead!”
Jesus took him by the hand. Then the child stood up. He was alright.
* 15: Literally, 'was taking / carrying'. This is the idiomatic expression for spirit-control. † 15: Can be either male or female child, but is normally assumed to be a male child unless specified as female. There is a separate word for 'girl'. The old words for these two nouns have gone taboo. If one needs to be explicit one must add 'male' or 'female', which is a bit clumsy. It was not thought significant enough in this simple text to do that. ‡ 15: Normal construction for 'tried but failed to. The adverb indicates that the action did not in fact take place.' § 15: Used of the death-throes of an animal, but also of the actions of a child in a tantrum that throws itself on the ground and flails its arms and legs around deliberately in frustration and rage. * 15: Plural exclusive, to include the man's family or extended family. We do not think he would be referring only to himself and his child here. Literally, 'be sympathetic towards us'
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