Luke 17:6
“And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
This saying responds to the apostles' request in Luke 17:5 to increase their faith, which itself follows Jesus' demanding teaching on forgiveness in the preceding verses.
What Does Luke 17:6 Mean?
Jesus is teaching that the power of faith lies not in its size but in its object and reality -- even faith as small as a mustard seed can accomplish the seemingly impossible. The apostles had just asked Him to "increase our faith" (Luke 17:5), as if faith were a quantity to be stockpiled. Jesus answers by pointing to the tiniest of seeds, gently correcting their assumption.
The mustard seed was a proverbial image for the smallest thing imaginable, and the sycamine tree had a deep, stubborn root system thought nearly impossible to remove. Jesus pairs the smallest faith with the most immovable obstacle to make His point vivid: it is not the bulk of faith that matters, but whether one truly trusts the God who acts. A small, genuine trust connected to an unlimited God can do what no amount of self-confidence ever could. The command to the tree -- "Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea" -- describes something nature would never do, yet "it should obey you." The lesson lands on the disciples' request: they do not need a larger supply of faith so much as real faith placed in the right place. The reader is invited to stop measuring faith and start exercising the trust they already have, however small it feels.
In the Original Language
"Faith" is pistis, trust or reliance. "Mustard seed" is sinapi, the proverbially tiny seed; "sycamine" (sykaminos) names the black mulberry, known for deep roots.
Cross References
“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.”
- Matthew 17:20
“Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed... and shall not doubt in his heart... he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
- Mark 11:23
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is.”
- Hebrews 11:6
Application
Stop waiting for a feeling of greater faith before you obey God. Exercise the small, real trust you already have, and place it in the God who is able.