Luke 17 14

Luke 17:14 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.

Luke 17:14 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.

Luke 17:14 niv

When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

Luke 17:14 esv

When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.

Luke 17:14 nlt

He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

Luke 17 verses

Luke 17 14 Meaning

Luke 17:14 records Jesus' command to ten lepers to go show themselves to the priests, an action required by the Mosaic Law. The core significance of this verse lies in the instantaneous healing that occurred not while they were with Jesus, but as they were on their way, demonstrating the vital role of obedience and faith in receiving Christ's power. It reveals that the manifestation of God's blessing often follows active submission to His Word, even when the full outcome is not yet visible.

Luke 17 14 Context

This verse is part of the account of Jesus healing ten lepers (Lk 17:11-19). Traveling between Samaria and Galilee, Jesus encounters ten men suffering from leprosy, a devastating and isolating disease that rendered them ceremonially unclean and socially outcast. They stood at a distance, as required by Mosaic Law, and cried out for mercy. Their appeal to Jesus as "Master" (Epistata, a term emphasizing His authority) indicates a degree of recognition of His power.

The cultural and historical context is critical: under Mosaic Law, leprosy was considered a state of ritual impurity. Leviticus 13-14 prescribed a meticulous process for diagnosis, quarantine, and importantly, for official declaration of healing and ceremonial cleansing. A person declared healed of leprosy was required to present themselves to a priest. The priest would perform an examination and specific sacrifices and rituals to allow the cleansed individual to re-enter the community. Jesus' instruction, "Go, show yourselves to the priests," thus directly affirmed and upheld these ancient traditions, validating His work within the established covenant law. However, the cleansing occurred before reaching the priests, highlighting that Jesus' power transcended the need for ritual initiation; the ritual became an act of confirmation and obedience to both divine law and Jesus' command.

Luke 17 14 Word analysis

• And when He saw them: Καὶ ἰδὼν (Kai idōn). The conjunction "And" connects this action to the lepers' plea. "Saw them" indicates Jesus' direct attention and compassionate recognition of their desperate state. It suggests not just physical sight, but discernment and acknowledgment.

• He said to them: εἶπεν αὐτοῖς (eipen autois). A direct, authoritative command, emphasizing Jesus' divine prerogative and power to intervene. His word is causative.

• Go: Ὑπάγετε (Hypagete). An imperative, present tense verb meaning "go away," "depart." It signifies immediate action and movement. This is a command to act on faith before witnessing the result, departing from His presence.

• show yourselves: ἐπιδείξατε ἑαυτούς (epideixate heautous). An imperative, aorist verb. "Show yourselves" (ἐπιδείξατε) implies displaying or presenting themselves publicly for examination. "Yourselves" (ἑαυτούς) emphasizes their personal responsibility in fulfilling the command. This command refers directly to the requirement of Mosaic Law in Lev 13-14 for someone healed of leprosy to present themselves to a priest for official confirmation and ceremonial purification.

• to the priests: τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν (tois hiereusin). Plural noun, referring to the Levitical priests responsible for enforcing the purity laws. This points to the ceremonial and legal aspects of their re-entry into society. Jesus did not negate the Law, but commanded its observance post-healing.

• And it happened: Καὶ ἐγένετο (Kai egeneto). Marks a consequential event, often used in Luke's narrative to introduce an outcome or development.

• as they went: ἐν τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτούς (en tō hypagein autous). Literally, "in the going of them." This crucial phrase indicates the timing of the cleansing. It did not happen immediately upon Jesus' command or after they reached the priests, but precisely while they were in motion, in the act of obeying. This timing highlights active faith: their obedience initiated their healing. Their faith was demonstrated by setting out for the priests, trusting Jesus' word.

• they were cleansed: ἐκαθαρίσθησαν (ekatharisthēsan). Aorist passive indicative verb, meaning "they were purified" or "made clean." The passive voice implies that the cleansing was an act performed upon them by a divine agent (Jesus). The aorist tense denotes a completed, instantaneous action. This refers to their physical restoration from leprosy, which subsequently allowed for their ceremonial purification.

• "Go, show yourselves to the priests.": This phrase groups Jesus' directive. It's a test of faith and obedience. The lepers had to choose to trust Jesus' word and embark on a journey that would seem nonsensical if they were still diseased. Their destination (the priests) was where only healthy, ceremonially clean individuals could present themselves, making their act of going a profound statement of faith that they would be clean.

• "And as they went, they were cleansed.": This crucial phrase highlights the immediate and direct result of their faith-filled obedience. The cleansing was not predicated on reaching the priests, but on the act of going in response to Jesus' command. It emphasizes that divine power often works in conjunction with human obedience. It's an "in the doing" miracle.

Luke 17 14 Bonus section

The spiritual implication of this event extends to our own walk of faith. Often, God's instructions may seem counterintuitive or require action without immediate, tangible results. The ten lepers' story reminds believers to trust the authority of Jesus' word and step out in faith, knowing that the "as you go" moment is when His transforming power is often unleashed. It underlines that grace does not nullify obedience; rather, grace enables obedience which then receives further blessing. The act of going to the priests was an act of recognition of their former state, a sign of their full acceptance of their restoration, and a legal testimony to the power of Jesus to heal completely.

Luke 17 14 Commentary

Luke 17:14 beautifully illustrates the dynamics of faith and obedience in the economy of God's grace. Jesus, out of compassion, heard the lepers' cry. His response was not to lay hands on them, nor to speak a word of direct healing (e.g., "Be cleansed!"). Instead, He issued a command that required an immediate act of obedience based on His authority and their faith in His power: "Go, show yourselves to the priests." This directive might have seemed perplexing or even ludicrous to them if they had relied only on their physical senses, as they were still outwardly diseased.

Yet, they obeyed. The pivotal moment is "as they went, they were cleansed." This demonstrates that God's miracles are often met and manifest in the sphere of active obedience. Their healing was not a passive reception but an active engagement with Jesus' command. They set out towards the priests before they saw any outward change. Their physical departure was an externalized expression of their internal trust. This instantaneous cleansing, effected by Jesus' power through their obedience, showcases Christ's respect for the Law (by commanding observance of the priestly inspection) while simultaneously demonstrating His supreme authority over it (by performing the miracle independently of any ritual initiation). It also serves as a profound lesson that walking by faith often means taking steps into the unknown, trusting that the desired outcome will materialize as we comply with God's directives.