馬可福音9:14-29

9:14 耶穌到了門徒那裡，看見有許多人圍著他們，又有文士和他們辯論。
9:15 眾人一見耶穌，都甚希奇，就跑上去問他的安。
9:16 耶穌問他們說：「你們和他們辯論的是甚麼？」
9:17 眾人中間有一個人回答說：「夫子，我帶了我的兒子到你這裡來，他被啞巴鬼附著。
9:18 無論在哪裡，鬼捉弄他，把他摔倒，他就口中流沫，咬牙切齒，身體枯乾。我請過你的門徒把鬼趕出去，他們卻是不能。」
9:19 耶穌說：「噯！不信的世代啊，我在你們這裡要到幾時呢？我忍耐你們要到幾時呢？把他帶到我這裡來吧。」
9:20 他們就帶了他來。他一見耶穌，鬼便叫他重重地抽瘋，倒在地上，翻來覆去，口中流沫。
9:21 耶穌問他父親說：「他得這病有多少日子呢？」回答說：「從小的時候。
9:22 鬼屢次把他扔在火裡、水裡，要滅他。你若能做甚麼，求你憐憫我們，幫助我們。」
9:23 耶穌對他說：「你若能信，在信的人，凡事都能。」
9:24 孩子的父親立時喊著說（有古卷：立時流淚地喊著說）：「我信！但我信不足，求主幫助。」
9:25 耶穌看見眾人都跑上來，就斥責那污鬼，說：「你這聾啞的鬼，我吩咐你從他裡頭出來，再不要進去！」
9:26 那鬼喊叫，使孩子大大地抽了一陣瘋，就出來了。孩子好像死了一般。以致眾人多半說：「他是死了。」
9:27 但耶穌拉著他的手，扶他起來，他就站起來了。

9:28 耶穌進了屋子，門徒就暗暗地問他說：「我們為甚麼不能趕出他去呢？」
9:29 耶穌說：「非用禱告（有古卷加：禁食二字），這一類的鬼總不能出來（或譯：不能趕他出來）。」

¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
¹⁹ “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

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    表面上這是記錄耶穌趕鬼的事蹟，其實背後讓我們看見耶穌對門徒的教導。因為，門徒面對到自己無法解決的事情，不知如何面對的時候，竟然不知禱告，還和文士辯論。到底辯論什麼不重要，但是最重要的事竟然沒有做！

    大家一直以為孩子得救的關鍵大概是他的父親的信心吧？因為耶穌說：「你若能信，在信的人，凡事都能」。他也回答耶穌：「我信！但我信不足，求主幫助」。住要的就是「求主幫助」！

    我們遇到人生的問題時，常常為了展現自己有信心的能力可以應付問題，就用自己的想法和方法不斷宣告：「我一定能」！但是弄到最後，發現不能時，就沮喪、就灰心，卻又不敢向主向人承認自己不足與不能！但是，孩子的父親願意承認自己的不足與不能時，勇敢的求主，主就出手幫助！

    同樣，主耶穌對門徒說：「非用禱告，這一類的鬼總不能出來」。意思就是說，要承認自己的不能，要藉由禱告交託給上帝，讓上帝的能來彰顯，如此才會發現上帝真的能！