Lord’s Library editors offer a Matthew 17:21 meaning with commentary on why the verse is missing from new Bible versions, for your edification.
When trying to understand the meaning of Matthew 17:21 and see why it’s missing in modern versions, first see the verse: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” In the King James Bible, this verse stands as a clear statement from the Lord Jesus Christ about the kind of spiritual preparation required to deal with particularly powerful demonic opposition.
It explains why His disciples were unable to cast out a devil from a possessed child: some spiritual battles demand more than just belief—they require consecration and a dependence on God through prayer and fasting. And yet, in nearly every modern Bible version—ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB—Matthew 17:21 is missing. You’ll typically find a footnote or a bracket suggesting it is “not found in the earliest manuscripts.”
But what’s really happening here is not textual refinement—it’s spiritual erosion.
Matthew 17:21 Missing Meaning
Without Matthew 17:21, the passage ends with Jesus giving a general explanation about unbelief in verse 20, and then the text abruptly shifts focus. But when verse 21 is retained, Jesus adds a critical layer: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” That verse clarifies that certain demonic powers are not cast out through casual faith or automatic authority, but through denying the flesh and seeking God earnestly. It’s a vital instruction for spiritual warfare.
And it’s gone. Why?
Because Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, the two 4th-century Alexandrian manuscripts that undergird the modern critical Greek text (Nestle-Aland/UBS), omit the verse. Modern scholars call them the “earliest and best,” even though the vast majority of Greek manuscripts, Latin copies, and ancient lectionaries include Matthew 17:21. The Textus Receptus, which the King James Bible follows, preserves the verse because it aligns with the manuscript tradition that God used throughout Church history.
It seems to us that this verse was removed because of a misplaced allegiance to a small minority of unreliable manuscripts. The verse is echoed in Mark 9:29, where Jesus says: “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”
So, even by internal consistency, Matthew 17:21 is doctrinally and thematically reinforced. The fact that it appears in the KJV and not in modern Bibles says nothing about its legitimacy—it says everything about the editorial decisions of those who controlled the text.
What is lost when Matthew 17:21 is cut out? Urgency, instruction, holiness, and power. The kind of power that only comes through dying to self. In a generation already plagued by shallow, spiritual powerlessness, this verse is essential. It subtly suggests that spiritual victory doesn’t require discipline, that demonic resistance can be overcome without the Cross applied to the believer’s flesh.
The King James Bible keeps Matthew 17:21 because it is part of God’s Word. The early church believed it. The majority of manuscripts bear witness to it. The fruit of its inclusion has been power and transformation. The fruit of its removal? Doubt, confusion, and a generation of Christians unequipped to fight deep spiritual battles. If your Bible deletes this verse, don’t let the scholars gaslight you into thinking they’ve improved the Word of God. They haven’t. They’ve weakened it. And the Church is suffering for it.
Lord's Library is a Christian resource hub. Our editors use a variety of internet research methods like search engines, audio and video, AI, consultations with ministry leaders in the field, and more. Lord's Library should never be a substitute for reading your Bible daily as the Scriptures are to be our final authority on all matters. Lord's Library participates in affiliate programs. We may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.
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