Luke, a physician himself, omits the detail that the woman had grown worse from her treatments, likely out of professional sensitivity. This subtle omission highlights how Luke's Gospel often emphasizes the sufficiency of Jesus' healing, even when other healers have failed, rather than focusing on the failures of earthly means.
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus returns to the shore after calming the stormy sea, a crowd eagerly awaits Him, with Jairus, a synagogue ruler, humbly pleading for help for his dying daughter. Amidst this urgent request, Luke highlights the hidden suffering of a woman who, after twelve years of a debilitating hemorrhage and having exhausted all her resources on ineffective physicians, desperately seeks healing. Her story unfolds immediately after Jairus’s plea, showing how Jesus’s attention is drawn to both the prominent and the overlooked in His ministry.
Imagine living with a constant, debilitating condition for over a decade. What does that do to a person's hope, finances, and sense of self?
Luke, himself a physician, details this woman's struggle with profound empathy. She wasn't just sick; she was drained – physically, emotionally, and financially.
A Deep Well of Suffering
Luke's careful wording highlights the depth of her suffering, setting the stage for a miraculous intervention that transcended human limitations.
When all medical avenues fail, where does one turn? This woman's story points to a radical shift in seeking help, even amidst crowds.
This woman's journey isn't just about physical healing; it's a profound testament to faith when all other hope is gone.
Ask a follow-up
The Threshold of Desperation
Her story moves from the failure of human systems to the bold pursuit of divine intervention, driven by a desperate need and a flicker of belief.
Understand the original words
rhysis haimatos · Greek Noun
A physical flow of blood. Under the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 15), such a condition rendered a person ceremonially unclean, creating social and religious isolation.
therapeuō · Greek Verb
The restoration of physical, emotional, or spiritual wholeness. In the New Testament, it is often tied to the power of God manifested through Jesus' ministry, symbolizing total salvation (sōtēria).
kraspedon · Greek Noun
The tassels or "tassels" (tzitzit) attached to the corners of a Jewish garment (tallit), as commanded in Numbers 15:38, serving as a reminder of God's commandments.
himation · Greek Noun
An outer garment or cloak. In the biblical context, it often represents the wearer's identity, authority, or, in the case of Jesus, the extension of his healing presence.
The cultural context of strict ritual purity laws and the common practice of seeking expensive medical help make the woman's desperate attempt to discreetly touch Jesus' garment and her subsequent healing even more profound.
c. 7th-6th century BC
Development of Rabbinic Law
During this period, the Pharisees and other Jewish groups developed detailed interpretations of the Law, including specific rules about ritual purity and uncleanness. This legalistic framework profoundly impacted daily life and social interactions.
Early 1st century AD
Roman Rule in Judea
The Roman Empire exerted political and economic control over Judea, influencing the social and financial landscape. Physicians often operated within this context, and their practices could be costly.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples. His growing reputation as a healer attracted crowds seeking his help.
c. AD 30
Healing of the Woman
During Jesus' ministry, a woman suffering from a chronic hemorrhage for 12 years sought Jesus out, touching his garment and being instantly healed. This event, though seemingly small, highlights Jesus' compassion and power.
This passage describes the same woman and her condition, highlighting that not only could physicians not heal her, but she actually grew worse under their care, emphasizing the severity and hopelessness of her situation.
Leviticus 15:19-27These verses outline the Old Testament laws regarding a discharge of blood, declaring the afflicted person ceremonially unclean and detailing the restrictions placed upon them, which explains the social and religious isolation this woman likely experienced.
Matthew 9:20-22This parallel account in Matthew also features the woman with the hemorrhage, focusing on her internal struggle and desperate act of faith in touching Jesus' garment, showing the immediate healing power of Jesus.
Acts 19:11-12This passage shows a similar phenomenon where objects that had touched the Apostle Paul, like handkerchiefs and aprons, carried away his ailments, reflecting a recurring theme of God's healing power being accessible through contact with His chosen servants.
Isaiah 53:3This prophetic verse describes the Suffering Servant as despised and rejected, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, which resonates with the profound suffering and desperation experienced by individuals like this woman, hinting at Jesus' own future suffering for humanity.
gillLuke 8:43: "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,"
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years,.... The Persic version reads, "there was a woman in that city", &c. in the city of Capernaum; See Gill on Matthew 9:20 . Which had spent all her living upon physicians; she had applied to one physician and another, and had consumed all her substance in this way: neither could be healed of any; though sh…
ellicottLuke 8:43: "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,"
(43) Neither could be healed of any. —It is, perhaps, worth noting that while St. Luke records the failure of the physicians to heal the woman, he does not add, as St. Mark does, that she “rather grew worse” ( Mark 5:26 ).
Luke, a physician himself, omits the detail that the woman had grown worse from her treatments, likely out of professional sensitivity. This subtle omission highlights how Luke's Gospel often emphasizes the sufficiency of Jesus' healing, even when other healers have failed, rather than focusing on the failures of earthly means.
As Jesus returns to the shore after calming the stormy sea, a crowd eagerly awaits Him, with Jairus, a synagogue ruler, humbly pleading for help for his dying daughter. Amidst this urgent request, Luke highlights the hidden suffering of a woman who, after twelve years of a debilitating hemorrhage and having exhausted all her resources on ineffective physicians, desperately seeks healing. Her story unfolds immediately after Jairus’s plea, showing how Jesus’s attention is drawn to both the prominent and the overlooked in His ministry.
As Jesus returns to the shore after calming the stormy sea, a crowd eagerly awaits Him, with Jairus, a synagogue ruler, humbly pleading for help for his dying daughter. Amidst this urgent request, Luke highlights the hidden suffering of a woman who, after twelve years of a debilitating hemorrhage and having exhausted all her resources on ineffective physicians, desperately seeks healing. Her story unfolds immediately after Jairus’s plea, showing how Jesus’s attention is drawn to both the prominent and the overlooked in His ministry.
"And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediatel…" — Luke, a physician himself, omits the detail that the woman had grown worse from her treatments, likely out of professional sensitivity. This subtle omission highlights how Luke's Gospel often emphasi…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
