Luke 5:13
What does Luke 5:13 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 5:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 5:13 means
Jesus stretches out his hand, touches the leper, and declares, ‘I will; be thou made clean,’ and instantly the leprosy departs. This verse emphasizes Jesus’ compassion (touch), authority (word), and willingness to defy purity barriers to restore. The immediacy of the healing underlines divine power: a single command effects cleansing. Jesus’ touch also models incarnational ministry—God reaching into human impurity. The healed man’s restoration is both physical and social; Jesus returns him to community and religious life by making him clean in body and ritual standing.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And he put out his hand to him and said, It is my pleasure; be clean. And straight away his disease went from him.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having stretched forth <FI>his<Fi> hand, he touched him, having said, `I will; be thou cleansed;' and immediately the leprosy went away from him.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And stretching forth his hand, he touched him, saying: I will. Be thou cleansed. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And stretching forth his hand he touched him, saying, I will; be thou cleansed: and immediately the leprosy departed from him.
Context
The verse is the culmination of the man’s plea and demonstrates the tangible outcome of trusting Jesus. The physical touch contrasts with social expectations, reinforcing Jesus’ radical compassion. Immediately after, Jesus charges secrecy and instructs the man to follow Mosaic law—a detail showing respect for Israel’s covenantal procedures. The healing increases publicity, which prompts Jesus to seek solitude for prayer, indicating the tension between ministry demands and spiritual replenishment.
v.12And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
v.13This passage
v.14And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Kings 5:10
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
- Ezekiel 36:25
And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
- Matthew 9:29
Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you.
- Ezekiel 36:29
And I will save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the grain, and will multiply it, and lay no famine upon you.
- 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 the 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.
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