Illness and healing

The short answer

Much of Jesus’ time was spent with sick people. He touched those others would not touch, and he listened to their whole story.

Christians still pray for healing, and still get sick. Not every illness ends in a cure; Jesus’ presence with the sick is the promise that holds either way.

In the Gospels

1. Mark 1:40–42

   A touch

   A man with a skin disease, kept away from everyone, kneels and says, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” Jesus touches him.

   Read Mark 1:40–42

   ⁴⁰ A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” ⁴² When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

   World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

   Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy, scene by scene on Free Scripture→

2. Mark 5:25–34

   The woman in the crowd

   After twelve years of illness and doctors, a woman touches his cloak. Jesus stops everything to find her and calls her “Daughter.”

   Read Mark 5:25–34

   ²⁵ A certain woman, who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, ²⁷ having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd, and touched his clothes. ²⁸ For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.” ²⁹ Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. ³⁰ Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.”

   World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

   Jairus’s Daughter, scene by scene on Free Scripture→

3. Matthew 11:28–30

   Come to me

   Jesus invites everyone who is tired and weighed down to come to him for rest.

   Read Matthew 11:28–30

   ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

   World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →

   Are You the One?, scene by scene on Free Scripture→