Matthew 9:20 kjv

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

Matthew 9:20 nkjv

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.

Matthew 9:20 niv

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.

Matthew 9:20 esv

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment,

Matthew 9:20 nlt

Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,

Matthew 9 verses

Matthew 9 20 Meaning

Matthew 9:20 describes a woman afflicted for twelve years with a continuous hemorrhage, who, driven by profound faith and desperation, quietly approached Jesus from behind in a crowd. She reached out and touched the "fringe" or "hem" of His outer garment, believing that this single act would bring her healing. This moment encapsulates a powerful display of silent faith meeting the transformative power of the Messiah.

Matthew 9 20 Context

Matthew 9:20 is nestled within a series of powerful demonstrations of Jesus's authority and compassion in chapter 9. Immediately preceding this verse, Jesus is on His way to heal the daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader, who is gravely ill and then dies (Matt 9:18-19, 23-26). This particular episode of the hemorrhaging woman acts as an "interruption" in that journey, showcasing Jesus's responsiveness to an individual's desperate faith even amidst another pressing miracle. The chapter broadly portrays Jesus as the one who brings salvation, physically healing the sick and mentally restoring the outcast, challenging established religious norms, and fulfilling Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. For the Jewish original audience, the woman's condition carried severe ritual implications according to Mosaic Law (Lev 15), rendering her perpetually unclean and socially isolated. Her touching Jesus, rather than defiling Him, powerfully illustrates Jesus's divine power to overcome impurity and bring complete restoration.

Matthew 9 20 Word analysis

• And behold,: (καὶ ἰδοῦ, kai idou). A common Greek expression in the Gospels to draw the reader's attention to something sudden, important, or noteworthy about to happen. It signals a divine interposition or a significant turn in events.

• a woman: (γυνή, gynē). Unnamed, which emphasizes her universal struggle and the focus on her condition rather than her identity. Her anonymity can represent any outcast in society longing for healing and acceptance.

• who had suffered from a discharge of blood: (αἱμορροούσα, haimorrhousa). From haima (blood) and rheō (to flow). This term describes a chronic and severe hemorrhage. According to Levitical law (Lev 15:25-30), such a condition rendered a woman ritually unclean, contaminating anyone or anything she touched. This meant social ostracism, religious exclusion, and immense personal suffering.

• for twelve years: (δώδεκα ἔτη, dōdeka etē). This extended duration highlights the chronic and seemingly incurable nature of her suffering. It implies deep desperation, financial ruin (as suggested in Mark's parallel), and utter hopelessness before encountering Jesus. The number twelve, often significant in biblical contexts (twelve tribes, twelve disciples), here marks the completeness and full measure of her long affliction.

• came up behind Him: (προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν, proselthousa opisthen). This manner of approach indicates humility, fear, desperation, and possibly a desire for discretion. Due to her ritually unclean status, approaching Jesus directly or openly would have caused a public stir and could have been seen as contaminating. She sought a discreet, personal act of faith.

• and touched: (ἥψατο, hēpsato). A strong, deliberate action, not an accidental brush. The aorist tense emphasizes a completed action. It was a willful, faith-filled attempt to access Jesus's power. She actively reached out, believing in His capacity to heal.

• the fringe of His garment: (τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ, tou kraspedou tou himatiou autou).

  • Kraspedon refers to the tassels or fringes (Hebrew tzitzit) worn on the four corners of Jewish men's outer garments (Num 15:38-39; Deut 22:12). These fringes were mandated by God to remind the Israelites of His commandments and to live holy lives.
  • Touching Jesus's tzitzit was a significant act for this woman. It suggests her belief that divine power resided within Jesus as a holy man, potentially even the Messiah. This detail ties into the prophetic expectation of healing, particularly from Malachi 4:2, which speaks of "healing in His wings" (kanap, Hebrew for corner/wing/fringe). For the woman, this wasn't superstition, but an act of profound faith rooted in her understanding of God's power as represented in the tzitzit.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years": This phrase encapsulates a life of extreme suffering, compounded by strict Mosaic purity laws that isolated her socially and religiously. The twelve years signify a complete, prolonged affliction.
  • "came up behind Him and touched": This grouping reveals her cautious yet decisive faith. Her method of approach underscores her awareness of her ritual impurity and her desperate, yet humble, belief that even an indirect contact with Jesus's holiness would be enough. The action itself demonstrates proactive, tenacious faith.
  • "the fringe of His garment": This specific point of contact is deeply symbolic. It speaks to her conviction that Jesus embodies divine power and authority, possibly fulfilling prophetic hope, as well as indicating her recognition of Him as a holy and righteous Jew, in accordance with the Law represented by the tzitzit.

Matthew 9 20 Bonus section

• The detail of "twelve years" is intentionally juxtaposed with the parallel story of Jairus's daughter, who was "twelve years old" (Mk 5:42, Lk 8:42). This contrast highlights Jesus's power over different forms of suffering and death, bridging the despair of chronic illness with the sorrow of a lost, young life.
• The incident reverses the typical Levitical impurity transfer. Normally, anything an unclean person touches becomes unclean. Here, the unclean woman touches Jesus (the embodiment of purity and holiness), and instead of Him becoming unclean, she is instantly purified and made whole. This showcases Jesus's unique divine nature and His absolute dominion over sickness and impurity. He doesn't conform to the law's defilement, but transcends and transforms it.
• The woman's stealthy approach highlights her humility and the fear of social retribution due to her condition. Jesus, however, did not allow her healing to remain hidden (as shown in Matt 9:22). His public acknowledgement of her and her faith served not to shame her, but to restore her dignity, validate her healing, and affirm the power of faith for all to witness. This act not only healed her body but also publicly reinstated her into society.

Matthew 9 20 Commentary

Matthew 9:20 offers a profound lesson on faith, the nature of Jesus's power, and His disregard for conventional barriers of impurity. The woman's long-term suffering and ritual impurity would have rendered her completely isolated, outcast from her community, her temple, and even her family. Her decision to "secretly" touch the fringe of Jesus's garment wasn't mere superstition, but an act born of deep faith and desperation, fueled by her conviction that even a mere contact with Him carried power to heal. This moment highlights Jesus's divine authority; instead of becoming unclean by her touch (as dictated by Mosaic Law regarding impurity), Jesus instantly purifies her. This act beautifully illustrates that Jesus came not to be made unclean by sin and sickness, but to cleanse and make whole. Her faith, demonstrated by her tangible act, directly invoked His healing power. Ultimately, this passage emphasizes that even a hesitant, "hidden" faith can draw out the extraordinary grace and healing of Christ. Spiritually, it signifies how broken and outcast individuals can approach Jesus, and through faith, receive not just physical healing, but profound restoration and acceptance into His presence.