Leader Bible Study
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem when He stopped in a village. He was approached by ten men who had leprosy. The men didn’t get too close because according to Jewish law, their disease meant they were unclean. Leviticus 13–14 details the law regarding skin diseases such as leprosy. A person had to go to a priest for a diagnosis, isolate himself from others, and then—after healing occurred—return to the priest to be examined, cleansed, and restored to the community.
The men cried out to Jesus for mercy, and He commanded them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they went, Jesus miraculously healed them. This healing gave the men a new beginning. They would be able to return to their friends and family members. One of the men—a Samaritan among Jews—seeing that he was healed, returned to Jesus.
Luke tells us how this man responded: “He … gave glory to God. He fell face down at [Jesus’] feet, thanking him” (Luke 17:15-16). This humility and gratitude were evidences of faith. The man’s response shows an understanding of God’s mercy and goodness. Jesus declared, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you” (v. 19). This man was healed not just physically but spiritually.
The Bible says all of us have sinned. Our sin makes us unclean, but we can cry out to God like the men with leprosy: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” God hears our prayers and answers. (See Ps. 51:17.) The gospel welcomes all people who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus.
As you teach kids, emphasize that when we trust in Jesus by faith, He heals us from something greater than a disease; He saves us from our sins. We can give Him thanks and worship Him for making us new.
The BIBLE Story
Jesus Healed Ten Men
Luke 17
Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem when He entered a village. Ten men cried out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” The men did not come close to Jesus because they had a skin disease called leprosy.
Jesus saw them and said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Jesus wanted the men to follow the law God had given to Moses. The law said a person who had a skin disease had to go to a priest to be examined when the disease was gone. The priest and the person had to follow certain rules so the person could live a normal life among people again.
As they went, the ten men were miraculously healed. One of the men, seeing that he was healed, went back to Jesus. He praised God and fell facedown at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him over and over. This man wasn’t a Jew; he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked the man, “Weren’t ten men cleansed? Where are the others?” Only this man—a foreigner—had returned to give thanks and praise to God.
Jesus told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”
Christ Connection: Jesus healed the ten men who cried out to Him. The one who had faith was saved. When we trust in Jesus by faith, He heals us from something greater than a disease; He saves us from our sins. We can give Him thanks and worship Him for making us new.
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