Luke 5:13

KJV

And he put forth [his] hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} he put forth {G1614} his hand {G5495}, and touched {G680} him {G846}, saying {G2036}, I will {G2309}: be thou clean {G2511}. And {G2532} immediately {G2112} the leprosy {G3014} departed {G565} from {G575} him {G846}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Yeshua reached out his hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing! Be cleansed!" Immediately the tzara`at left him.

Berean Standard Bible

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

American Standard Version

And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 5:13 vividly portrays a transformative encounter between Jesus and a man afflicted with leprosy, showcasing Christ's profound compassion and divine authority. In a radical act that defied societal and religious conventions, Jesus extends His hand to touch the leper, declaring His sovereign will to heal him. The immediate and complete departure of the leprosy underscores Jesus' absolute power over disease and His willingness to restore those considered utterly unclean and outcast, bringing about both physical and ceremonial purification.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This miraculous healing of the leper in [Luke 5:13](/luke/5-13 "Luke 5:13 - Jesus Cleanses a Leper") is strategically placed within Luke's narrative, immediately following the leper's humble and desperate plea in [Luke 5:12](/luke/5-12 "Luke 5:12 - The Leper's Plea to Jesus"). It is part of a series of early miracles that establish Jesus' authority and identity as the Messiah, following the miraculous catch of fish and the call of the first disciples ([Luke 5:1-11](/luke/5-1-11 "Luke 5:1-11 - The Call of the First Disciples and Miraculous Catch of Fish")) and preceding the healing of the paralytic ([Luke 5:17-26](/luke/5-17-26 "Luke 5:17-26 - Healing of the Paralytic")). Luke consistently highlights Jesus' ministry to the marginalized and His compassion for the suffering, framing these acts not just as displays of power but as demonstrations of God's redemptive love.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, leprosy (a term encompassing various severe skin diseases, not exclusively modern Hansen's disease) was a devastating affliction that carried immense social and religious stigma. Under the Mosaic Law, lepers were considered ritually unclean, requiring them to live in isolation outside the community, wear torn clothes, and cry out "Unclean! Unclean!" to warn others of their presence ([Leviticus 13:45-46](/leviticus/13-45-46 "Leviticus 13:45-46 - Laws Concerning Leprosy")). Any physical contact with a leper would render a person ceremonially defiled, necessitating purification rituals. Consequently, lepers endured profound physical suffering, social ostracism, and spiritual alienation. Jesus' deliberate act of touching the leper was a profoundly counter-cultural and boundary-breaking gesture, challenging the established norms of purity and demonstrating a radical form of compassion.
* **Key Themes:** Luke 5:13 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Luke's Gospel. Foremost is the theme of **Jesus' divine authority** over sickness, sin, and the forces of defilement. His command, "I will: be thou clean," is a declaration of sovereign power, not a prayer or a wish. This miracle also highlights Jesus' radical **compassion and willingness to transcend social and religious barriers** to minister to the outcast and marginalized, a central motif in Luke's portrayal of Christ's ministry ([Luke 4:18-19](/luke/4-18-19 "Luke 4:18-19 - Jesus' Nazareth Sermon and Mission Statement")). Furthermore, the instantaneous and complete healing points to the theme of **restoration and new creation**, symbolizing the spiritual cleansing and transformation that Jesus offers to those who are spiritually "unclean" and alienated from God.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **touched (Greek, _háptomai'_):** Reflexive of ἅπτω; properly, to attach oneself to, i.e., to touch (in many implied relations). This word signifies a deliberate and intimate physical contact. In the context of a leper, this touch was revolutionary, defying the Levitical purity laws and cultural norms that dictated separation. It conveys Jesus' willingness to bridge the gap of human suffering and defilement.
* **I will (Greek, _thélō'_):** Apparently strengthened from the alternate form of αἱρέομαι; to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse). This powerful declaration expresses Jesus' sovereign will and inherent authority. It is not a hesitant wish but a resolute command, underscoring His divine prerogative and deliberate choice to act as the source of healing and purity.
* **clean (Greek, _katharízō'_):** From καθαρός; to cleanse (literally or figuratively). This term encompasses both physical healing and ritual purification. For a leper, being made "clean" meant not only the disappearance of the disease but also restoration to full participation in community, worship, and social life, removing the associated ceremonial defilement.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he put forth [his] hand, and touched him,"**: This opening clause depicts Jesus' extraordinary act of compassion. In a society that mandated strict separation from lepers, Jesus deliberately extends His hand and makes physical contact. This gesture is a profound demonstration of empathy, breaking down the barriers of fear and ritual impurity, and affirming the leper's inherent dignity and humanity. It is a tangible expression of God's willingness to draw near to the outcast and the suffering.
* **"saying, "I will: be thou clean.""**: These words are Jesus' authoritative declaration. The phrase "I will" (Greek: _thelō_) expresses His sovereign will and inherent power, signifying that His healing flows from His own divine prerogative, not from a request or a wish. The command "be thou clean" (Greek: _katharisthēti_) is an immediate and powerful imperative, demanding complete purification, encompassing both physical healing and ritual restoration to society and worship.
* **"And immediately the leprosy departed from him."**: This concluding clause emphasizes the instantaneous and absolute efficacy of Jesus' word and touch. The adverb "immediately" (Greek: _euthéōs_) highlights the swiftness and undeniable nature of the miracle. The leprosy, a debilitating and incurable disease, vanishes completely, demonstrating the absolute authority of Christ over sickness and defilement, and resulting in the man's total transformation.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 5:13 masterfully employs several **literary devices** to convey its profound theological message. The most striking is **Symbolism**, where the physical leprosy represents not only a dreaded disease but also the spiritual uncleanness and social ostracism that sin brings. Jesus' act of touching the leper, which would traditionally make Him unclean, instead makes the leper clean, creating a powerful **Paradox** that subverts conventional understanding of purity and power. This highlights Jesus' divine nature as the ultimate source of purity, impervious to defilement. The **Direct Discourse** of Jesus' command, "I will: be thou clean," emphasizes His inherent authority and the directness of His will. The narrative also uses **Economical Language**, conveying a profound theological truth—Jesus' compassionate authority—with concise and impactful phrasing that underscores the immediate and complete nature of the healing.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 5:13 is a pivotal moment that profoundly reveals the character and mission of Jesus. It demonstrates His divine authority over disease and impurity, affirming His identity as God incarnate who can command creation and bring about instantaneous transformation. More than just a physical healing, this act symbolizes Jesus' power to cleanse humanity from the defilement of sin, offering spiritual purification and restoration to those alienated from God. His willingness to touch the untouchable underscores the boundless compassion of God, who does not recoil from human brokenness but actively draws near to heal and restore, breaking down barriers of ritual law to extend grace. This miracle foreshadows the ultimate cleansing through Christ's sacrifice, making the unclean pure and bringing the outcast into fellowship.

* [Matthew 8:2-4](/matthew/8-2-4 "Matthew 8:2-4 - Jesus Heals a Leper")
* [Mark 1:40-45](/mark/1-40-45 "Mark 1:40-45 - Jesus Cleanses a Leper")
* [Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Our High Priest Understands Our Weaknesses")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 5:13 offers profound encouragement and a compelling call to action for believers today. It reminds us that Jesus is not only supremely capable of healing our deepest wounds—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—but He is also profoundly *willing* to do so. Just as He reached out to the ostracized leper, defying societal norms and religious expectations, He extends His grace to those who feel unclean, unworthy, or isolated by their circumstances or past sins. This passage challenges us to confront our own fears and prejudices, urging us to follow Christ's example by reaching out with genuine compassion to those marginalized in our communities, seeing them not as problems to be avoided but as individuals deserving of love, dignity, and the healing touch of God's grace. It assures us that no condition, no matter how dire or defiling, is beyond Christ's compassionate reach and powerful will to make us whole and clean, offering complete and immediate transformation.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you feel "unclean" or "unworthy" and in need of Jesus' compassionate touch and cleansing?**
* **How does Jesus' willingness to touch the leper challenge your own preconceived notions about who is worthy of compassion and connection?**
* **What "leprosy" (e.g., social isolation, spiritual brokenness, deep-seated sin) in your community or in your own life is Jesus calling you to approach with His compassion and power?**

### FAQ
**Why was Jesus' act of touching the leper so significant and controversial?**

Answer: Jesus' act of touching the leper was profoundly significant because it directly defied the strict Mosaic Law and prevailing cultural norms of the time. According to [Leviticus 13:45-46](/leviticus/13-45-46 "Leviticus 13:45-46 - Laws Concerning Leprosy"), lepers were considered ritually unclean and had to live in isolation, warning others of their presence. Touching a leper would render a person ceremonially unclean, requiring purification rituals. By touching the leper, Jesus demonstrated His divine authority over the Law, His boundless compassion, and His unique ability to make the unclean clean, rather than becoming defiled Himself. It was a powerful statement that His kingdom operates on principles of grace and restoration, breaking down barriers and reaching out to the marginalized.

**Did Jesus break the Law by touching the leper?**

Answer: No, Jesus did not break the spirit or purpose of the Law; rather, He fulfilled it by demonstrating its ultimate intent: restoration and holiness. While the Law stipulated that touching a leper would make one unclean, Jesus' touch did not defile Him. Instead, His touch conveyed His inherent purity and power, making the leper clean. This act highlighted that Jesus is the source of purity and life, not subject to the defiling effects of sin and sickness that affect humanity. His actions consistently showed that the Law was meant to point to Him and His power to truly cleanse and restore, as seen in passages like [Matthew 5:17](/matthew/5-17 "Matthew 5:17 - Jesus Fulfills the Law").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 5:13 serves as a profound Christ-centered fulfillment, revealing Jesus as the compassionate Son of God who not only identifies with humanity's brokenness but possesses the divine authority to utterly transform it. The leper's desperate plea and Jesus' immediate, authoritative response, "I will: be thou clean," perfectly encapsulate the essence of salvation. Just as the leper was an outcast, ritually unclean and separated from society, humanity is spiritually unclean and alienated from God due to sin ([Romans 3:23](/romans/3-23 "Romans 3:23 - All Have Sinned")). Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, willingly entered our defilement, not to become unclean Himself, but to impart His purity. His radical act of touching the leper foreshadows His ultimate identification with our sin on the cross, where He became sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God ([2-Corinthians 5:21](/2-corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). The instantaneous cleansing of the leper points to the immediate and complete spiritual cleansing available through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice, where our sins are not merely covered but entirely "departed" from us, as far as the east is from the west ([Psalm 103:12](/psalm/103-12 "Psalm 103:12 - God Removes Our Transgressions")). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers not just a temporary reprieve but a radical, permanent transformation, restoring us to fellowship with God and making us truly clean and whole in His sight ([Hebrews 10:10](/hebrews/10-10 "Hebrews 10:10 - Sanctified Through Christ's Sacrifice")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:29

Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Matthew 9:30

And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See [that] no man know [it].

John 4:50

Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

John 4:53

So the father knew that [it was] at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

Hosea 14:4

¶ I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

2 Kings 5:14

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Ezekiel 36:29

I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.