As
he was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?” Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.”
Luke 17:11-19
Luke 17 [6.] The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table,’ and will not rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”
Luke 17 [11.] As he was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
Luke 17 [14.] When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?” Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.”
Luke 17 [20.] Being asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom would come, he answered them, “God’s Kingdom doesn’t come with observation; neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, God’s Kingdom is within you.”
Meaning:
Luke reminds us that Jesus “was on his way to Jerusalem,” the journey that began in Luke 9:51 and would end at the cross. He had just taught that faith as small as a mustard seed is enough and that servants who obey have only done their duty (Luke 17:5-10). Now Luke tells of ten lepers who were healed, only one of whom returned to give thanks. The story is found only in Luke and highlights gratitude, faith and God’s grace to outsiders.
- “passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee”
The route ran along the border between Galilee, where many Jews lived, and Samaria. Jews and Samaritans were bitterly divided: “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (John 4:9). Yet leprosy had brought Jews and a Samaritan together in one group of outcasts.
- “ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance”
The law required lepers to live apart and warn others: “He shall dwell alone. Outside of the camp shall be his dwelling” (Leviticus 13:46). The word “leprosy” covered several serious skin diseases. So the ten stood at a distance and “lifted up their voices,” crying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
- “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”
The law gave priests the duty to examine a healed leper and declare him clean (Leviticus 14:2-3). Jesus did not touch them this time or announce their healing. He simply sent them, and they had to set out in faith before they saw any change. “As they went, they were cleansed.” Earlier Jesus had healed one leper and sent him to the priest in the same way (Mark 1:41-44).
- “and he was a Samaritan”
Only one returned, “glorifying God with a loud voice,” and fell at Jesus’ feet to thank him. Luke saves the surprise for the end: he was a Samaritan. Like Naaman the Syrian, who returned to Elisha after his healing and said, “I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15), the foreigner recognized the source of his healing. Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?” and called the man “this stranger.”
- “Your faith has healed you.”
All ten were cleansed, but to this one Jesus said, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.” The word can also mean “saved you.” His faith brought him back to Jesus, and he received more than physical healing: a restored relationship with God.
The Significance of Luke 17:11-19
- Gratitude completes faith
It is easy to receive God’s gifts and move on. True faith returns to give thanks: “Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).
- Grace for outsiders
The one who returned was the one least expected. Like the good Samaritan (Luke 10:33-37), he shows that God’s grace crosses every barrier.
Cross-References:
1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.” Thankfulness as God’s will.
Leviticus 13:45: “He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’” The life of a leper.
2 Kings 5:15: “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.” A healed foreigner who returned.
Psalm 103:2: “Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits;” Remembering God’s gifts.
Conclusion: Ten lepers cried to Jesus for mercy and were cleansed as they went to show themselves to the priests, but only one, a Samaritan, came back to glorify God and thank Jesus. Jesus commended the faith of this foreigner and sent him away healed and saved. The story calls every reader to return to the Lord with thanks for his mercy.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible