Matius 17:15
Konteks17:15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures 1 and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water.
Lukas 18:13
Konteks18:13 The tax collector, however, stood 2 far off and would not even look up 3 to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful 4 to me, sinner that I am!’ 5


[17:15] 1 tn Grk “he is moonstruck,” possibly meaning “lunatic” (so NAB, NASB), although now the term is generally regarded as referring to some sort of seizure disorder such as epilepsy (L&N 23.169; BDAG 919 s.v. σεληνιάζομαι).
[18:13] 2 tn Grk “standing”; the Greek participle has been translated as a finite verb.
[18:13] 3 tn Grk “even lift up his eyes” (an idiom).
[18:13] 4 tn The prayer is a humble call for forgiveness. The term for mercy (ἱλάσκομαι, Jilaskomai) is associated with the concept of a request for atonement (BDAG 473-74 s.v. 1; Ps 51:1, 3; 25:11; 34:6, 18).
[18:13] 5 tn Grk “the sinner.” The tax collector views himself not just as any sinner but as the worst of all sinners. See ExSyn 222-23.