Jesus Heals Ten Lepers
Ten men with leprosy cry out to Jesus for mercy. All are healed, but only one—a Samaritan—returns to give thanks.
Luke 17:11-19
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The Story
As Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee, He was going into a village when ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance—as the law required, for lepers were considered unclean and had to stay away from healthy people.
They called out in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!'
When Jesus saw them, He said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' This was the procedure prescribed by the law for anyone healed of leprosy—the priest would examine them and declare them clean.
As they went, they were cleansed. Their diseased flesh became whole. Their fingers and toes, perhaps disfigured or lost to the disease, were restored. They were healed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan, one of the people Jews despised.
Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?'
Then He said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'
Ten were healed. One was made whole—not just in body but in soul. The nine received a physical blessing and went on their way. The one who returned received something greater: a relationship with the Healer. Gratitude brought him back into the presence of Christ, and there he found what he truly needed.
The story asks each of us: Are we among the nine, or the one?
One Man Says Thank You
Kids Version
Ten men stood far away from Jesus. They couldn't come close because they had a bad sickness called leprosy. People with leprosy had to stay away from everyone else.
'Jesus! Please help us!' they shouted.
Jesus saw them and said, 'Go show yourselves to the priests.' That was what you did when you got better from leprosy.
The men started walking to find the priests. And as they walked, something amazing happened—they looked at their skin, and the leprosy was GONE! They were healed!
All ten men were SO happy! They ran off to start their new healthy lives.
But wait. One man stopped. He turned around and ran back to Jesus. He fell down at Jesus' feet.
'THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!' he said, praising God with a loud voice.
Jesus looked around. 'Didn't I heal TEN men? Where are the other nine? Only this one came back to say thank you?'
Jesus smiled at the man. 'Get up and go. Your faith has made you well!'
Ten men got healed. But only ONE remembered to say thank you. That one man got something extra special—time with Jesus and His blessing.
This story reminds us to always say THANK YOU to God for all the good things He does for us. Don't be like the nine who forgot. Be like the one who came back!
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Scripture — Luke 17:11-19 (KJV)
11And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went , they were cleansed.
15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Memory Verse
“And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.”
— Luke 17:11 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “Jesus Heals Ten Lepers” in the Bible?
Ten men with leprosy cry out to Jesus for mercy. All are healed, but only one—a Samaritan—returns to give thanks. This story is found in Luke 17:11-19.
Where is “Jesus Heals Ten Lepers” found in the Bible?
“Jesus Heals Ten Lepers” is found in Luke 17:11-19, in the book of Luke.
What can children learn from “Jesus Heals Ten Lepers”?
This story teaches children about Healing, Gratitude, Faith, Outcasts, Worship. Ten sick men asked Jesus to heal them. Jesus healed ALL of them! But only ONE came back to say thank you. Jesus was happy that one man remembered to be thankful.