Matthew 17:20

“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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks privately to the disciples immediately after they ask why they failed to drive out a spirit.

The words — ὀλιγοπιστία (oligopistia) literally means "little faith," directly naming the deficiency Jesus identifies in their response.

The thread — The mustard seed comparison appears in Luke 17:6, while the promise to command a mountain to move parallels the phrasing in Mark 11:23.

Why it lands — The text states that faith the size of a mustard seed allows a person to command a mountain to relocate, and declares that nothing will be impossible for them.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Luke 17:6 And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
Mark 11:23 “Truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him.
Luke 1:37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
Luke 18:27 But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Matthew 21:21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.
Mark 9:23 “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!”
1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
Matthew 13:31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.
John 11:40 Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
Mark 4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.