This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about Jesus healing people; it's highlighting that His physical healings were a tangible, powerful demonstration of Him taking on our suffering, not just waving it away. He literally "bore" our sicknesses, much like the prophet Isaiah foresaw He would bear our deeper spiritual ailments as well.
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Jesus powerfully healed Peter's mother-in-law and cast out demons, a great multitude gathered, seeking His healing touch for all their ailments. Matthew points to this widespread healing ministry as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, highlighting Jesus' deep compassion and the prophetic significance of His work in taking on human suffering. Jesus then decides to move on, commanding His disciples to cross the sea, even as great crowds pressed around Him.
Jesus' miracles weren't just random acts of kindness. This verse shows how His healing pointed to something far greater.
When Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4, he's not just saying Jesus was a good doctor. The original prophecy speaks of the Messiah bearing the sins and sorrows of His people.
A Deeper Connection
The word 'took' here isn't just about picking something up; it's about carrying a heavy load. Jesus experienced our suffering.
The Bible uses strong language to describe Christ's engagement with human suffering. He didn't just observe it from a distance; He entered into it.
Bearing the Load
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Understand the original words
plērōthē · Greek Verb
To bring to completion or make actual that which was previously foretold or promised by God. In the NT, it signifies that Jesus is the culmination of God's redemptive plan in the OT.
astheneias · Greek Noun
The state of being mentally or physically unhealthy. In a biblical context, illness is often a consequence of the fallen world, and healing serves as a sign of the Kingdom's restoration.
ebastasen · Greek Verb
To carry a burden, specifically the burden of sin, suffering, or penalty. It is a substitutionary term indicating the taking upon oneself of another's affliction.
Matthew connects Jesus' miraculous physical healings directly to Isaiah's prophecy, highlighting that even in these acts of mercy, Jesus was demonstrating His deeper mission to bear the weight of human suffering, both physical and spiritual, through His own future sacrifice.
c. 700 BC
Isaiah Prophesies Messiah's Suffering
The prophet Isaiah writes about a future suffering servant who would bear the griefs and sorrows of his people, laying the groundwork for understanding future messianic suffering and redemption.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Heals Many in Galilee
During His ministry, Jesus performs numerous healings, casting out demons and curing various physical ailments, demonstrating His divine power and compassion. This includes healing Peter's mother-in-law and many others after a day of ministry.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry Culminates
Jesus' teachings, miracles, and atoning sacrifice on the cross provide the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, addressing both spiritual and physical suffering.
This is the direct Old Testament passage that Matthew is quoting and applying to Jesus' healing ministry, showing how Jesus' actions fulfilled prophecy.
1 Peter 2:24Peter explicitly connects Jesus bearing our sins 'on his body on the tree' with His healing, showing the spiritual depth behind Jesus' physical cures.
John 1:29John the Baptist calls Jesus the 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,' a concept echoed in Jesus bearing our diseases, as both point to His atoning work.
Hebrews 4:15This passage highlights Jesus' sympathetic understanding of our weaknesses, aligning with the idea that He 'took our illnesses' because He truly experienced and empathized with our suffering.
barnesMatthew 8:17: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
That it might be fulfilled ... - This passage is found in Isaiah 53:4 . Our English translation of that important passage is, "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." The Greek in Matthew is an exact translation of the Hebrew, and the same translation should have been made in both places. In Isaiah 53:1-12 , Isaiah fully states the d…
vincentMatthew 8:17: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
Bare (ἐβάστασεν)This translation is correct. The word does not mean "he took away," but "he bore," as a burden laid upon him. This passage is the corner-stone of the faith-cure theory, which claims that the atonement of Christ includes provision for bodily no less than for spiritual healing, and therefore insists on translating "took away." Matthew…
This verse isn't just about Jesus healing people; it's highlighting that His physical healings were a tangible, powerful demonstration of Him taking on our suffering, not just waving it away. He literally "bore" our sicknesses, much like the prophet Isaiah foresaw He would bear our deeper spiritual ailments as well.
After Jesus powerfully healed Peter's mother-in-law and cast out demons, a great multitude gathered, seeking His healing touch for all their ailments. Matthew points to this widespread healing ministry as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, highlighting Jesus' deep compassion and the prophetic significance of His work in taking on human suffering. Jesus then decides to move on, commanding His disciples to cross the sea, even as great crowds pressed around Him.
After Jesus powerfully healed Peter's mother-in-law and cast out demons, a great multitude gathered, seeking His healing touch for all their ailments. Matthew points to this widespread healing ministry as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, highlighting Jesus' deep compassion and the prophetic significance of His work in taking on human suffering. Jesus then decides to move on, commanding His disciples to cross the sea, even as great crowds pressed around Him.
"This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”" — This verse isn't just about Jesus healing people; it's highlighting that His physical healings were a tangible, powerful demonstration of Him taking on our suffering, not just waving it away. He li…
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Last reviewed October 2026