Matthew 8:3 kjv
And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 8:3 nkjv
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 8:3 niv
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.
Matthew 8:3 esv
And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 8:3 nlt
Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Matthew 8 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 1:40-42 | Now a leper came to Him... saying, “If You are willing... Immediately the leprosy left him...” | Direct parallel account, emphasizing Jesus' compassion. |
| Lk 5:12-13 | And it happened, when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man full of leprosy saw Jesus... “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” | Parallel account. Jesus’ touch and command. |
| Lev 13:45-46 | Now the leper on whom the sore is... He shall cry, “Unclean! Unclean!”... he shall dwell alone... | OT law on isolation and declaring ritual impurity for lepers. |
| Num 5:2-4 | “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper... so they defile not their camps...” | Emphasizes the severe separation of lepers from the community. |
| 2 Kgs 5:7 | When the king of Israel read the letter... “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man from leprosy?” | Leprosy healing considered a divine act, almost on par with raising the dead. |
| Matt 4:23 | And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching... preaching... and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. | General scope of Jesus’ healing ministry. |
| Matt 9:20-22 | Just then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage... came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak... And Jesus turned... and said, “Take heart, daughter...” | Power transmitted through touch from Jesus; another instance of ritual impurity. |
| Matt 8:15 | So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. | Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law by touch, another instance of direct physical contact. |
| Matt 8:16 | When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. | Jesus' authority over all disease, often by His powerful word. |
| Matt 9:6-7 | But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise...” | Jesus' authority over both physical ailments and sin, establishing His divine power. |
| Mk 1:27 | Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits...” | Recognition of Jesus' commanding authority, even over unclean entities. |
| Lk 4:36 | So they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” | Emphasizes the power in Jesus' words and authority. |
| Mk 1:42 | Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. | Reinforces the instantaneous nature of Jesus' healing power. |
| Lk 5:25 | Immediately he rose up before them... | Instantaneous healing in the paralytic's case. |
| Lk 7:10 | And when those who were sent returned to the house, they found the servant well who had been sick. | Jesus’ word demonstrating immediate effect, even from a distance. |
| Eph 5:26 | ...that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word... | Spiritual cleansing/purification linked to Christ and His word. |
| Titus 2:14 | ...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people... | Christ’s work for spiritual purification and transformation of His people. |
| Heb 9:14 | how much more shall the blood of Christ... cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? | Superiority of Christ's blood for ultimate cleansing from sin. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. | Blood of Jesus provides continual spiritual cleansing. |
| Rev 1:5 | ...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness... To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood... | Christ's sacrificial cleansing of sins. |
| Isa 35:5-6 | Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. | Prophetic vision of the Messiah’s healing ministry, including physical restoration. |
| Matt 10:8 | Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. | Jesus empowers His disciples to perform similar acts, including cleansing lepers. |
Matthew 8 verses
Matthew 8 3 Meaning
Matthew 8:3 vividly portrays Jesus' compassionate act of healing a leper. Responding to the leper's plea, Jesus immediately reached out His hand, an act profoundly significant given the societal and ritualistic prohibitions against touching someone with leprosy. He declared His willingness to heal, commanding the leprosy to be cleansed. This single touch, accompanied by His powerful word, instantaneously cured the man, demonstrating Jesus' divine authority over disease and His ability to restore both physical health and social/religious purity.
Matthew 8 3 Context
Matthew chapter 8 inaugurates a powerful section where Jesus’ authoritative teachings from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) are immediately followed by mighty works, demonstrating His divine authority over disease, natural elements, and evil spirits. The healing of the leper is the very first miracle in this sequence, immediately following the Sermon. In Jewish society, leprosy was a dreaded and highly stigmatizing disease. It rendered individuals not only physically ill but also ceremonially "unclean" according to Levitical law (Leviticus 13-14), forcing them into social isolation, banned from cities and temple worship. Contact with a leper would also render the toucher unclean. Jesus’ act of touching the leper directly defied the established purity laws of the time, highlighting His authority over such conventions and signifying that He, as the source of all purity, could not be defiled by uncleanness but instead imparted His own purity and healing.
Matthew 8 3 Word analysis
- "Then Jesus put out His hand" (Greek: ektéinas tēn cheîra): This phrase indicates a deliberate and intentional action. Jesus didn't just speak from a distance; He initiated physical contact, showing active compassion and willingness to engage directly with the outcast. His outstretched hand symbolizes personal connection and divine accessibility.
- "and touched him" (Greek: hēpsato autou): This is highly significant. In Jewish law and custom, touching a leper would cause ritual impurity, rendering the toucher defiled. Jesus’ willingness to touch an outcast, deemed untouchable, demonstrated a radical empathy. More profoundly, it showcased that His divine purity and power did not diminish through contact with uncleanness but rather transformed the uncleanness into purity. He did not contract defilement but imparted cleansing.
- "saying," (Greek: legōn): Indicates His words accompany His action, confirming His power and will.
- "'I am willing;'" (Greek: Thélō): This one word "Thélō" signifies "I desire," "I choose," or "I will." It is a direct and compassionate response to the leper’s “If You are willing,” showing Jesus’ desire perfectly aligned with God's will for healing. It removes any doubt about His readiness to extend mercy.
- "'be cleansed.'" (Greek: katharisthēti): This is a passive imperative verb, a command, meaning "be made clean" or "be purified." This command transcends mere physical healing; it encompasses ritual purification. Jesus not only healed the man's physical disease but also restored his ceremonial purity, making him eligible for reintegration into society and temple worship according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 14).
- "Immediately" (Greek: euthéōs): This adverb signifies the instantaneity of the healing. There was no gradual recovery, no process of medication or time. The healing was supernatural and immediate, testifying to the absolute power of Jesus' command.
- "his leprosy" (Greek: hē lépra autoú): Refers specifically to the dreaded skin disease, encompassing all its physical and social implications.
- "was cleansed." (Greek: ekatharisthē): Again, the passive voice emphasizing the divine action. It signifies complete and perfect healing and purification, instantly achieved through Christ's authority.
Words-group analysis:
- "Jesus put out His hand and touched him": This action sequence is powerful. It contrasts sharply with traditional human responses to lepers (avoidance, shunning). It’s an act of identification, compassion, and authority, demonstrating that Jesus came not for the healthy but for the sick, both physically and spiritually.
- "'I am willing; be cleansed'": This phrase embodies the core message: divine willingness (compassion) coupled with divine authority (power to command cleansing). Jesus is not merely sympathetic but effective. His word carries transformative power, directly answering the leper's humble request.
- "Immediately his leprosy was cleansed": The swift, unhindered outcome highlights the unquestionable sovereignty and effectiveness of Jesus’ divine power. It confirms His authority not only over the disease itself but also over the ceremonial impurity associated with it.
Matthew 8 3 Bonus section
The healing of the leper, almost considered incurable by humans, underscored Jesus' extraordinary power, indicating He was more than just another prophet. According to some rabbinic traditions, healing leprosy was considered as great a miracle as raising the dead. By cleansing the leper, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the Messiah performing such miraculous signs (Isa 35:5-6). Furthermore, by telling the man to go show himself to the priests (Mt 8:4), Jesus validated the Old Testament Law regarding the purification rites for lepers (Leviticus 14) while simultaneously asserting His own divine role as the One who makes clean, contrasting with the priests who could only declare clean. This sequence directly set Him apart as the Divine authority.
Matthew 8 3 Commentary
Matthew 8:3 is a pivotal moment, showcasing Jesus' compassionate ministry and undeniable divine authority. His willingness to physically touch the leper shatters prevailing social barriers and challenges a strict, external interpretation of ritual purity. Instead of becoming defiled, Jesus imparts cleansing, demonstrating His divine nature as the source of purity. His potent "I am willing" not only affirms His compassionate desire but also confirms that His will is God's will for healing. The instantaneous "be cleansed" speaks to His ultimate dominion over all sickness and "unclean" conditions, fulfilling both a physical cure and a complete ceremonial purification, reintegrating the man fully into community and covenant. This act serves as a foretaste of the spiritual cleansing from sin that He offers through His sacrifice.