The Ten Lepers

By Ann Woodbury Moore

Be ye thankful (Col. 3:15).

While Jesus Christ was walking to Jerusalem, He came to a village. As He entered the village, Jesus saw ten sad lepers. A disease called leprosy covered their bodies with sores.

They were not allowed to live with their families. They had to stay by themselves, wandering around the countryside.

“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us,” they called out (Luke 17:13).

Jesus felt sorry for the lepers. “Go,” He said, “[show] yourselves unto the priests” (Luke 17:14). The lepers knew that only the priests could decide if their disease was gone. Excited, they set off.

As they hurried along, their sores disappeared. They were healed!

One of the lepers stopped. He turned around and ran back to Jesus, loudly praising God. When he reached Jesus, he fell on his face and thanked Him. “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? … And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:17, 19.)

Ten Lepers painting courtesy of Providence Lithograph Company; Painting by John Steel