Mark 1:40

The Leper’s Prayer

40 Then a leper ^[a] came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ¹

Mark 1:40 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 1:40

And there came a leper to him
After he was come down from a certain mountain, in Galilee, where he had been preaching to the people, ( Matthew 8:1 ) , and when be was in a certain city, ( Luke 5:12 ) , either Capernaum, or some other city of Galilee. This man was full of leprosy, as Luke says, and very probably deemed incurable; of the nature and symptoms of the leprosy, (See Gill on Luke 5:12),

beseeching him;
to cure him of his leprosy:

and kneeling down to him;
in token of submission, respect, and reverence, and to worship him:

and saying unto him, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean;
(See Gill on Matthew 8:2). Mark omits the word "Lord".

Mark 1:40 In-Context

38 But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”

39 So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

40 Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”

42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed.

Cross References

• 1. (Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16)

Footnotes

• [a]. A leper was one afflicted with a skin disease. See Leviticus 13.