When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.
Parallel translations
- WEB When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed.
- KJV And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
- NKJV So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
- NASB When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.
- NLT He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus sends the lepers to the priests, and they are cleansed as they obey, before seeing any change. Faith acts on Christ's word ahead of evidence.
Overview
The Law required a priest to verify a healing of leprosy (Leviticus 14), so going to the priests presumes the cure. The men are cleansed in the act of obeying, illustrating that genuine faith trusts and obeys Jesus' word even before the promise is visibly fulfilled. Their cleansing points to the deeper cleansing from sin that Christ alone provides.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Luke 5:14“Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
- Lev 13:1–46Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
- 2 Kgs 5:14So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.
- Matt 3:15“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.
- Lev 14:1–32Then the LORD said to Moses,
- Matt 8:3–4Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
- John 11:10But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.”
- John 9:7Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.
- John 4:50–53“Go,” said Jesus. “Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at His word and departed.
- John 2:5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
- Isa 65:24Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 17:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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