Matthew · Chapter 17 · Faith

Matthew 17:20 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

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Read in chapter context · Matthew 17

About Matthew 17:20

Jesus said this to disciples who had just failed to heal a boy and were quietly asking why. His answer is unsettling. The bar is not faith the size of a mustard seed; the bar is faith like a mustard seed — alive, growing, in contact with the soil. The point isn't that small faith earns dramatic outcomes, but that faith of even the smallest kind, when it is real, is connected to a power that operates outside the disciple's personal resources. The mountain-moving language is hyperbolic in the way Jesus often spoke; the principle underneath is that the limit isn't on God's side.

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.""

KJV · 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."

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses jesus, unto, verily, say, while the WEB renders these as most, certainly, tell, will. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Matthew 17:20 in Matthew 17

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Matthew 17:20 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Matthew 17. Read the full chapter →

v.18 Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.
v.19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”
v.20 He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
v.21 But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”
v.22 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men,

Book background

About the Book of Matthew

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Gospel
Author: Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle
Date written: c. 50–70 AD
Audience: Primarily Jewish Christians
Chapters: 28

Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). He repeatedly shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Great Commission (28:18-20) closes the book.

Setting: Written to demonstrate Jesus as Israel's promised Messianic King.

Key themes: kingdom of heaven · fulfillment · discipleship · authority · mission

Read Matthew from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Matthew 17:20

Matthew 17:20 contains 45 words in 7 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

He said to them

HSTT
2

"Because of your unbelief

BOYU
3

For most certainly I tell you

FMCITY
4

if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed

IYHFAA
5

you will tell this mountain

YWTTM
6

'Move from here to there,' and it will move

MFHTTA
7

and nothing will be impossible for you."

ANWBIF

Frequently asked

FAQ about Matthew 17:20

What does Matthew 17:20 say?

Matthew 17:20 reads: "He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."" — from the New Testament, Matthew (Gospel). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Matthew 17:20 in?

Matthew 17:20 is in the book of Matthew, traditionally attributed to Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle and written around c. 50–70 AD. Matthew is gospel in the New Testament, originally addressed to Primarily Jewish Christians. Best known for the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.

What is Matthew 17:20 about?

Matthew 17:20 is primarily a Bible verse about Faith. Within Matthew, Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between Matthew 17:20 in WEB and KJV?

Matthew 17:20 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "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.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Matthew 17:20?

Matthew 17:20 is 45 words in the WEB translation (235 characters), broken into 7 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 14 seconds.

How can I memorise Matthew 17:20?

To memorise Matthew 17:20, split it into its 7 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Matthew 17:20 matter in Matthew?

How can I apply Matthew 17:20 today?

Many readers use Matthew 17:20 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Matthew 17:20 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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