Limitless Word
She said to herself, “If only I touch His cloak, I will be healed.”
Matthew 9:21 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”
  • KJV For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
  • NKJV For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”
  • NASB for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will get well.”
  • NLT for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

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

The woman believes that merely touching his garment will heal her. Her inner conviction shows real, though humble, faith in Jesus' power.

Overview

Matthew records the woman's private resolve, revealing the faith behind her action. She trusts that the slightest contact with Jesus is enough. Though her understanding is simple, her confidence in his power is the kind of faith Jesus honors.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 3

  • Mark 5:26–33She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.
  • Luke 8:45–47“Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. But they all denied it. “Master,” said Peter, “the people are crowding and pressing against You.”
  • Acts 19:12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 9:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'

How Matthew 9:21 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.