Siku moja Yesu alirudi kutoka safari na Petero, Yakobo, o Yohana. Walipowafikia wale wanafunzi wengine, wakawakuta wamezungukwa na umati mkubwa wa watu na baadhi ya walimu wa sheria wakibishana[1] nao. Mara wale watu walipomwona Yesu, wakastaajabu sana, wakamkimbilia, ili kumsalmu.
Akawauliza wanafunzi Wake, “Mnabishana nao kuhusu nini?” Mtu mmoja miongoni[2] mwa ule umati wa watu akajibu, “Mwalimu, nilimleta kwako mwanangu ambaye ana pepo mchafu ambaye anamfanya asiweze kuongea. Kila mara huyo pepo mchafu ampagaapo[3] mwanangu, humwangusha chini na kumfanya atokwe povu[4] mdononi na kusaga[5] meno, kisha mwili wake hukauka[6]. Niliwaomba wanafunzi wako wamtoe huyo pepo mchafu, lakini hawakuweza.”
Yesu akawaambia, “Enyi[7] kizazi kisicho na imani! Nitakuwa pamoja nanyi mpaka lini? Nitachukuliana nanyi mpaka lini? Mleteni huyo mvulana kwangu.”
Nao wakamleta yule mvulana. Yule pepo mchafu alipomwona Yesu, mara akamtia[8] yule mvulana kifafa[9], akaanguka, akagaagaa[10] chini huku akitokwa na povu kinywani. Yesu akamwuliza baba yake, “Mwanao amekuwa akitokewa na hali hii tangu lini?” Akamjibu, “Tangu utoto wake. Mara kwa mara huyo pepo mchafu amekuwa akimwangusha kwenye moto au kwenye maji ili kumwangamiza[11]. Lakini kama unaweza kufanya jambo lo lote, tafadhali tuhurumie utusaidie.”
Yesu akamwambia, “Kama ukiweza kuamini? Yote yawezekana kwake yeye aaminiye.” Mara baba yake yule mvulana akapiga kelele akisema, “Ninaamini. Nisaidie kutokuamini kwangu!” Yesu alipoona kwamba umati wa watu unakusanyika pamoja mbio, akamkemea[12] yule pepo mchafu, akimwambia, “Wewe pepo bubu[13] na kiziwi[14], nakuamuru[15] umtoke wala usimwingie tena!”
Yule pepo mchafu akiisha kupiga kelele, akamtia kifafa kwa nguvu, akamtoka. Yule mvulana alikuwa kama maiti[16], hivyo watu wengi wakasema, “Amekufa.” Lakini Yesu akamshika mkono akamwinua, naye akasimama.
Baada ya Yesu kuingia ndani ya nyumba, wanafunzi wake wakamwuliza wakiwa peke yao. “Mbona sisi hatukuweza kumtoa huyo pepo mchafu?”
Yesu akawajibu, “Hali hii haiwezi kutoka isipokuwa kwa kuomba na kufunga.”
[1] ku-bisha – disobey, demur, argue, impugn
[2] miongoni – among, amongst
[3] ku-pagaa – to be possessed by an evil spirit
[4] povu – to froth, lather, foam, scum
[5] ku-saga – to grind, crush, mince (to have sex – lesbians)
[6] hu-kauka – 1. To dry, wither; 2. To harden
[7] enyi! – You there!
[8] Ku-tia – to put into, pour into, bring about, cause
[9] Kifafa – epilepsy, seizure
[10] ku-gaagaa – to roll from side to side, squirm
[11] ku-angamiza – to destroy; ku-angamia – to be destroyed, to perish
[12] ku-kemea – to scold, rebuke
[13] bubu – dumb, mute person
[14] kiziwi – deaf person
[15] ku-amuru – command, order, charge, direct
[16] maiti – corpse, cadaver