JESUS HEALS A MAN WITH LEPROSY

Passage: Mark 1:40-45

Key verse: 41

NIV

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy(A)

40 A man with leprosy[a] came to him and begged him on his knees,(B) “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant.[b] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.(C) But go, show yourself to the priest(D) and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,(E) as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.(F) Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.(G)

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 1:40 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Mark 1:41 Many manuscripts Jesus was filled with compassion
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 (A)And a leper[a] came to him, imploring him, and (B)kneeling said to him, (C)“If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And (D)Jesus[b] sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, (E)“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, (F)show yourself to the priest and (G)offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, (H)for a proof to them.” 45 (I)But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter (J)a town, but was out in (K)desolate places, and (L)people were coming to him from every quarter.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 1:40 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  2. Mark 1:43 Greek he; also verse 45
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

A man with leprosy came to Jesus. He begged Jesus, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” The man must have lived a miserable and lonely life. There was no way to heal his leprosy. He realized the only solution was Jesus. He begged on his knees before Jesus. Our sin is like leprosy. It is smelly; it is excruciatingly painful. It is contagious. It makes us ugly. No matter what we do, we cannot be freed from our sin. The only way to be cleansed from our sin is by coming to Jesus.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing. Be clean!” Immediately, the leprosy left the man, and he was healed. His lifelong problem was solved by Jesus. Jesus has the power to solve our sin problems. By Jesus’ death on the cross, our sins have been forgiven. We no longer live under the power of sin and death. Rather, we live as a new creation in Jesus!

Lord, we are sinners who had no way to solve our sin problems. We walked in darkness and loneliness like the leper. Thank you for cleansing us by your blood shed on the cross!

Prayer: Lord, Jesus, thank you for making us clean by your blood shed on the cross!

One Word: I am willing. Be clean!