While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Luke’s specific phrasing, "full of leprosy," reveals more than just the severity of the disease; it points to a man so afflicted that under Mosaic Law, he would technically have been considered clean because the entire body was covered, yet he was still relegated to isolation. This highlights his desperate situation, being declared clean by the law but ostracized by society, making Jesus's touch a profound act of both physical and social restoration.
While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus encounters a man suffering from a severe, outwardly visible case of leprosy, a disease that rendered him ceremonially unclean and ostracized from society. The man’s desperate plea, falling before Jesus, reveals a profound faith that if Jesus is willing, he has the power to make him clean, setting the stage for Jesus’ miraculous touch and a display of His authority over even the most dreaded afflictions. This encounter showcases Jesus' willingness to break social and religious barriers to bring healing and restoration.
Imagine a life defined by separation, a living death where every interaction is forbidden. This man’s cry reveals more than just a physical ailment.
This man wasn’t just sick; he was “full of leprosy.” In ancient times, this was a horrifying, often fatal disease that excluded individuals from society.
His condition made him a symbol of sin's destructive power – a living death that separated humanity from God.
Seeing Jesus, he didn’t just approach; he fell. What does this dramatic posture reveal about his understanding of who Jesus was?
The leper’s reaction – falling on his face – was an act of profound humility and worship. In a culture where lepers were shunned, this man recognized Jesus as someone entirely different.
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He asked to be made 'clean,' not just 'healed.' This word choice cuts to the core of what sin and restoration truly mean.
The leper's specific request to be made 'clean' (Greek: katharos) is incredibly significant. Leprosy wasn't merely a physical disease; it was a symbol of ritual impurity.
Jesus’s power extended not just to mending broken bodies, but to restoring wholeness and purity, tackling the very stain of sin.
Understand the original words
lepra · Greek Noun
A skin disease, or group of diseases, that in the Bible was often considered a state of ritual impurity. It resulted in social and religious isolation, requiring the person to be separated from the community and the temple.
kyrios · Greek Noun
A term of address conveying respect and authority, applied to masters, rulers, or divine beings. In the Gospels, it frequently acknowledges Jesus as having divine authority or being the Messiah.
katharizō · Greek Verb
A state of ritual purity required for approach to God and participation in the community. Cleansing involves the removal of defilement or sin through divine action or prescribed rituals.
Leprosy in ancient times carried a heavy social and religious stigma, often seen as a divine punishment. This man's approach to Jesus, falling on his face and begging, shows a desperate hope that Jesus, unlike anyone else, might possess the power to overcome not just the disease but also the profound uncleanness associated with it.
c. 1500 BC
Levitical Laws on Leprosy Established
The Mosaic Law, recorded in Leviticus, provides detailed regulations for identifying, isolating, and cleansing leprosy, establishing it as a sign of uncleanness and a disease requiring strict social separation.
c. 800 BC
Elisha Heals Naaman
The prophet Elisha miraculously heals Naaman, a commander of the Syrian army, of his leprosy, demonstrating that divine power could overcome this dreaded disease, though it was a rare event.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple marks the end of an era for Jewish religious and social life, intensifying the need for spiritual renewal and hope.
c. AD 25-35— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry in Galilee
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching, preaching, and performing numerous miracles of healing, including encounters with lepers, bringing a message of hope and divine restoration.
c. AD 30
Jesus Heals a Leper Near a City
While ministering in Galilee, Jesus encounters a man suffering from an advanced case of leprosy, who approaches him with profound faith, seeking cleansing.
This Old Testament passage describes the strict segregation required for lepers, highlighting how this man's presence near Jesus and his plea for cleansing broke through severe social and religious barriers.
2 Kings 5:1-14Naaman's healing from leprosy also involved a plea for cleansing, demonstrating a similar desperate faith and need for God's intervention, though his situation involved a prophet rather than Jesus directly.
Matthew 8:2-4This parallel account shows the same leper approaching Jesus, but emphasizes Jesus' direct statement, 'I will; be cleansed,' and the instruction to offer the sacrifice commanded by Moses, connecting Jesus' healing power to Old Testament law.
Luke 4:27This earlier account in Luke mentions Jesus healing a leper, showing that while rare, divine healing of leprosy was not unheard of, yet this man's plea still carried intense faith given the circumstances.
Romans 5:8This verse speaks to God's love shown through Christ's sacrifice while we were still sinners, mirroring the profound, unconditional compassion Jesus extended to this deeply unclean and outcast leper.
cambridgeLuke 5:12: "And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
12–16. The Healing of a Leper 12 . a certain city ] Probably the village of Hattîn, for we learn from St Matthew’s definite notice that this incident took place on descending from the Mount of Beatitudes ( Kurn Hattîn ), see Matthew 8:1-4 ; Mark 1:40-45 . Hence chronologically the call of Matthew…
vincentLuke 5:12: "And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
Full of leprosyMatthew and Mark have simply a leper. The expression, full of leprosy, seems to be used here with professional accuracy. Leprosy was known among physicians under three forms: the dull white, the clear white, and the black. Luke means to describe an aggravated case. The word full in…
Luke’s specific phrasing, "full of leprosy," reveals more than just the severity of the disease; it points to a man so afflicted that under Mosaic Law, he would technically have been considered clean because the entire body was covered, yet he was still relegated to isolation. This highlights his desperate situation, being declared clean by the law but ostracized by society, making Jesus's touch a profound act of both physical and social restoration.
Jesus encounters a man suffering from a severe, outwardly visible case of leprosy, a disease that rendered him ceremonially unclean and ostracized from society. The man’s desperate plea, falling before Jesus, reveals a profound faith that if Jesus is willing, he has the power to make him clean, setting the stage for Jesus’ miraculous touch and a display of His authority over even the most dreaded afflictions. This encounter showcases Jesus' willingness to break social and religious barriers to bring healing and restoration.
Jesus encounters a man suffering from a severe, outwardly visible case of leprosy, a disease that rendered him ceremonially unclean and ostracized from society. The man’s desperate plea, falling before Jesus, reveals a profound faith that if Jesus is willing, he has the power to make him clean, setting the stage for Jesus’ miraculous touch and a display of His authority over even the most dreaded afflictions. This encounter showcases Jesus' willingness to break social and religious barriers to bring healing and restoration.
"While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”" — Luke’s specific phrasing, "full of leprosy," reveals more than just the severity of the disease; it points to a man so afflicted that under Mosaic Law, he would technically have been considered clean…
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Last reviewed October 2026