And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
The last three verses of Matthew 9:1-38 form the proper introduction to the Mission of the Twelve; as is evident from the remarkable fact that the Mission of the Seventy was prefaced by the very same words. (See the note at Luke 10:2.)
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power, х exousian (G1849)]. The word signifies both 'power,' and 'authority' or 'right.' Even if it were not evident that here both ideas are included, we find both words expressly used in the parallel passage of Luke (Luke 9:1) - "He gave them power and authority" х dunamin (G1411) kai (G2532) exousian (G1849)] - in other words, He both qualified and authorized them --
Against (or 'over') unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease.