Jesus is asked why his students could caste out the spirit of the epiletic.
Mark 9:29 This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Mark 9:29 This kind can come out only by prayer.
This thing here, this kind has the power to exit by nothing except by prayer.
We cannot toss out what is born into us.
The word translated as "kind" is an uncommon form of the word usually translated as "generation".
The "can" here is not the simple helper verb in English indicating possibility. It is the active verb in the sentence meaning "to have the power." The word following is an infinitive form of a verb, in this case, "to exit."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb, but the active verb in the sentence.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "come forth" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to infinitive."
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "but."
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "and fasting" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb, but the active verb in the sentence.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "come forth" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to infinitive."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "by" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "nothing" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "only."
This -- The word translated as "this" means "from here" or "this/that thing."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
kind -- "Kind" is from an uncommon noun for Jesus that means "race", "offspring", "class", "sort," and "kind." The masculine form of the noun that is translated in the Bible as "generation."
can -- (CW) The word translated as "can" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. This is the active verb here, not a helper verb. It takes an infinitive as "have the ability" does in English. See this article.
come -- (WF) The word translated as "come forth" means literally "to go or come out," but it has a secondary meaning of "making something come true." The form is an infinitive, "to exit." This is not an active verb, but an infinitive.
forth - This completes the meaning of the verb. It is from the prefix.
by -- The word translated as "by" means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
nothing, -- The Greek word translated as "nothing" also means "no one" and other negatives nouns. However, to avoid the English double-negative, we translate it as its opposite "anyone" when used with another Greek negative.
but - -- (CW) This is not one of the two Greek words meaning "but." It is two Greek words arethat mean "if not" but this phrase is used to mean "except", "instead", and "but." This is not the word usually translated as "but." CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "but."
by -- This comes from the following words that require the addition of a preposition in English to capture its meaning, a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, and an "in" for area of effect.
prayer -- "Prayer" is from the noun which means only "prayer." The verb from the same root is usually used by Jesus in his teachings. This is the first time that the noun is used.
and fasting. -- -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "and fasting" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
This -- The word translated as "this" means "from here" or "this/that thing."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
kind -- "Kind" is from an uncommon noun for Jesus that means "race", "offspring", "class", "sort," and "kind." The masculine form of the noun that is translated in the Bible as "generation."
can -- (CW) The word translated as "can" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. This is the active verb here, not a helper verb. It takes an infinitive as "have the ability" does in English. See this article.
come -- (WF) The word translated as "come forth" means literally "to go or come out," but it has a secondary meaning of "making something come true." The form is an infinitive, "to exit." This is not an active verb, but an infinitive.
out - This completes the meaning of the verb. It is from the prefix.
missing "by" -- (MW) The untranslated word "by" means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
missing "nothing" -- (MW) The untranslated word "nothing" also means "no one" and other negatives nouns. However, to avoid the English double-negative, we translate it as its opposite "anyone" when used with another Greek negative.
only - -- (CW) This is not one of the two Greek words meaning "only." It is two Greek words arethat mean "if not" but this phrase is used to mean "except", "instead", and "but." This is not the word usually translated as "but." CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "but."
by -- This comes from the following words that require the addition of a preposition in English to capture its meaning, a "to" as an indirect object, a "with" for instruments, an "in" for locations, an "as" for purposes, an "of" for possession, a "by" for agents, an "as" for comparisons, and an "in" for area of effect.
prayer -- "Prayer" is from the noun which means only "prayer." The verb from the same root is usually used by Jesus in his teachings. This is the first time that the noun is used.
and fasting. -- -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "and fasting" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
Τοῦτο [93 verses] (pron sg neut nom) "That" is touto, which means "from here", "from there", "this [thing]," or "that [thing]."
τὸ [821 verses](article sg neut nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
γένος [3 verses]( noun sg neut nom) "Kind" is genos, which means "race," "offspring," "class," "sort," and "kind."
ἐν [413 verses] (prep) "By" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
οὐδενὶ [69 verses] ( adj sg dat ) "Nothing" is oudeis which means "no one", "not one", "nothing", "naught", "good for naught," and "no matter."
δύναται [61 verses]( verb 3rd sg pres ind mp ) "Can" is the verb, dynamai, which means "to have power by virtue of your own capabilities", "to be able," and "to be strong enough."
ἐξελθεῖν [54 verses] ( verb aor inf act ) "Come forth" is exerchomai, which means "to come or go out of " "to march forth", "go out on", "to stand forth", "to exceed all bounds", "to come to an end", "to go out of office," and [of dreams or prophecies] "to come true."
εἰ μὴ [14 verses]( (conj particle) "But" is ei me, which is the conjunction that means "if not", "but," and "except." εἰ is the particle use with the imperative usually to express conditions "if" or indirect questions, "whether." mê (me) is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no."
ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with". -- The word translated as "in" also means "within", "with," or "among."
προσευχῇ [5 verses]( noun sg fem dat ) "Prayer" is proseuche, which means "prayer" and also "place of prayer," "sanctuary," and "chapel." Jesus more commonly uses the verb form of the word.
What is interesting here is that Jesus is saying that the power to exit is lacking in the "spirit" itself, not in the person doing the casting out. This implies that the invisible cause of epilepsy is different from other causes because it doesn't contain its own cure. That cure must come form outside the body. This seems to describe an inborn affliction rather than a disease.