9:18a

Whenever it seizes him: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as seizes refers to the spirit suddenly and forcefully making the boy do things.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Whenever the spirit grabs him
-or-
Whenever the spirit overcomes him
-or-
When the evil spirit takes control of him

9:18b

it throws him to the ground: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as throws…to the ground means “cause to fall with violent shaking.” This action is similar to a seizure caused by epilepsy. The evil spirit caused the boy to fall to the ground with violent shaking. This expression does not refer to the demon physically throwing the boy. Another way to translate this is:

causes him to have seizures

9:18c

He foams at the mouth: Use the expression in your language that describes what happens when a person has an epileptic fit/seizure and white foam/bubbles come out of his mouth.

He: The pronoun He refers to the boy.

9:18d

gnashes his teeth: The word gnashes refers to forcefully grinding one’s teeth together. For example, the NET Bible has:

grinds his teeth

and becomes rigid: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as becomes rigid is an idiom. In this context it indicates that the boy became stiff and could not move. For example, the Good News Bible has:

becomes stiff all over

9:18e

to drive it out: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to drive it out is literally “to cast/throw out the spirit.” To drive…out an evil spirit means to cause the evil spirit to stop controlling a person.

Jewish people often spoke of evil spirits as being in someone. Different cultures have different ways of speaking about people being controlled by evil spirits and being released from the control of evil spirits. Use a natural expression for this in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

force the evil spirit out of the boy
-or-
cause the evil spirit to leave
-or-
exorcize the evil spirit
-or-
send the evil spirit away
-or-
free the boy from the control of the evil spirit

Similar phrases occur in 1:34b and 3:15.

9:18f

but they were unable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were unable means not to “have power” or not to “be able.” The disciples were not able to drive out the evil spirit. The God’s Word shows another way to translate this clause:

but they didn’t have the power to do it

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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