It is my joy to greet you today in Jesus’ wonderful name!

Recently, I’ve been deeply pondering the miraculous works of Jesus, and today I want to share something new for me — and I believe it will be new and wonderful for you too. I would love to hear from you to know how these insights touched your heart!

But before I get into my letter, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your amazing friendship and partnership with our ministry. Denise and I and our team are doing the work required to fulfill our mandate from Heaven, but it is our friends and partners who give financially and put the financial fuel in the tank so that we can take the message to people around the world. And when I say “around the world,” I really mean all over the world. Please understand that what you are doing is affecting people both near and far — you are a mighty instrument that God is using! I wanted to begin by saying thank you!

Today I want to speak to you about the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus. Luke 17:11 says, “And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.”

This verse pictures Jesus journeying straight through the heart of Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem. Interestingly, we know from John 4 that Jesus had already made a profound impact in Samaria earlier when He spoke with the woman at the well. John 4:40-42 tells us of the profound moment when the woman at the well returned to a Samaritan village to testify to them about Jesus. So moved were they by this interaction that the Samaritans pleaded with Him to remain with them a little longer, and He agreed, staying for two full days. As described in verses 41-42, many more came to believe, affirming to the woman, “…Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

Having already deeply impacted the Samaritans through the testimony of the woman at the well, Jesus would, not surprisingly, revisit a place and people who had welcomed Him so warmly. This serves as a reminder that Jesus repeatedly returns to those hearts and places that are open and receptive to His presence.

But when Jesus was en route to Jerusalem, he entered a village along the way. Luke 17:12 says, “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.” The words “certain village” are derived from the Greek words tina komen, which is the word tina, meaning a certain, and a form of the Greek word kome, indicating a town or village. The particularity of the word tina makes one wonder whether this is a reference to the same village that earlier so warmly welcomed Him. But while He was there, Luke 17:12 says “there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.”

The word “met” is derived from a variant of the Greek word apantao, suggesting a deliberate meeting. It appears these ten lepers had heard rumors that Jesus was either approaching or had already arrived in the village, which prompted them to devise a plan to meet Him in person. The narrative states that these ten individuals were “lepers,” originating from the plural form of the Greek term lepros, which describes individuals who are stricken with leprosy.

Leprosy was a devastating disease that slowly consumed the flesh, disfiguring its victims by gnawing away at fingers, toes, and limbs, leaving terrible patches of raw flesh in its wake. The very sight of leprosy was not just horrid to see, but it was considered to be highly contagious, and people were terrified of coming near anyone with leprosy. Those afflicted with leprosy were burdened with societal rejection and were relegated to the confines of leper colonies.

But here, we see a band of ten lepers, huddled together, possibly seeking protection in their collective presence against a world that shunned them. But Luke 17:12 tells us that they “stood afar off.” The words “afar off” stem from the Greek word porrothen, signifying from a distance. By law, lepers were required to stay at least 100 paces — or roughly 250 feet — from other people. Seeing even one leper was a rarity since lepers lived in leper colonies. But to see a whole group of ten, who courageously left the confines of their seclusion, was enough to rattle the townspeople. These ten lepers ventured boldly into the heart of the village to appeal to Jesus to heal them.

Luke 17:13 says that from a distance, “…they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” The words “lifted up” are derived from a form of the Greek word airo, which means to lift or to raise, and the word “voices” comes from a plural form of the Greek word phone, which means not only voices, but loud voices. As a phrase, it tells us that from a distance these ten lepers corporately raised their voices and loudly said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

The word “said” is used in a continuous tense, illustrating that this was an ongoing action as they were repeatedly vocalizing their plea. The word “Master” is derived from the Greek word epistata, which is a compound of the word epi, meaning on, and the word histemi, meaning to stand. Together, the word epistata captures the image of one who possesses tremendous authority and who is onsite at the moment. By using this term, the lepers acknowledged Jesus’ powerful presence as they persistently implored Him to have “mercy” on them.

The word “mercy” comes from a form of the Greek word eleeo, which is variously translated throughout Scripture as compassion, mercy, or pity. It denotes a powerful and unsettling surge of emotion that arises in response to the sights and sounds of human suffering. However, it transcends mere feelings of pity and embodies a profound inner compulsion that cries out for action. This is not simply a request for empathy for someone’s predicament; it is a heartfelt plea for intervention through concrete, merciful action that can change, relieve, or transform the circumstances at hand. In other words, they were not asking for mere pity, but for a compassion and mercy that would do something to change their afflicted condition.

Luke 17:14 says, “And 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.” The word “saw” is derived from a form of the Greek word horao, and it goes beyond a simple glance; it conveys a profound recognition and understanding of their plight.

The word “shew” is derived from a form of the Greek word epideiknumi, which is a compound of the words epi and deiknumi. The prefix epi conveys a sense of over or upon, while deiknumi means to show. Together this compound signifies a thorough display or a complete demonstration. In this narrative, Jesus instructed the ten lepers to present themselves visibly to the “priests.” This word is derived from the Greek word hiereus, referring specifically to the Jewish priests residing in Jerusalem

Leviticus 14 gave a detailed set of guidelines that those cleansed of leprosy were to follow before priests could pronounce them ceremonially clean and re-admit them to the community. The priests had no power to heal lepers, but they were responsible for enforcing purification rites that were intricate, that lasted several days, and that were the most detailed of all cleansing rituals. The initial requirement to start the lengthy process of being declared “cleansed” was for a cleansed leper to present himself to a priest outside the city limits. This is what Jesus referred to when He told them to “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”

At the moment Jesus told them to go to show themselves to the priests, there was no evidence that they had been cleansed. But Jesus told them to go, and this required faith on the part of the lepers. Luke 17:14 tells us, “…And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

The phrase “it came to pass” is the Greek word egeneto, which here indicates a gradual unfolding over time. This progression is echoed in the phrase “as they went.” The lepers took Jesus’ word, submitted to it, and followed His directive to go show themselves to the priest. As they journeyed, they were “cleansed,” which is derived from a form of the Greek word katharidzo, meaning to cleanse or to purify.

With each step toward the priests, the ten lepers witnessed transformation. They saw their diseased skin healing and consumed flesh regenerating into a soft, new layer of fresh skin. At long last, when the ten lepers stood before the priests, their affliction had vanished entirely, and they were no longer lepers.

Luke 17:15 says, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God….” The word “saw” is derived from a form of the Greek word horao, which depicts observation and full comprehension. A more fitting interpretation might be, “Having perceived and thoroughly grasped that he was healed.” The word “healed” is interestingly translated from a form of the Greek word iaomai, which means to cure or to heal, and it frequently pictures a healing that incrementally alleviates an ailment over time, contrasting with sudden recovery. Here, it precisely captures the journey of the ten lepers who were healed progressively as they followed Jesus’ command to present themselves to the priests.

Upon witnessing his own miraculous healing, this leper “turned back” and retraced his steps to Jesus. The words “turned back” are derived from a form of a Greek word signifying a physical turn. This particular leper literally turned around to head back to Jesus and “with a loud voice glorified God.” The words “loud voice” mean the leper lifted his voice with a thunderous intensity — so filled with gratitude that he began to “glorify” God. Notably, the tense implies that the leper offered continual, unwavering praise to God for the incredible cleansing he had received.

Luke 17:16 says that the healed leper “fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.” The words “fell down” tell us that in this moment when the leper encountered Jesus, he was so overwhelmed with gratitude for His miraculous healing that he quite literally buckled, crumpling onto the ground with his face on the earth with his entire being laid “at his feet.” Previously, this leper was bound by the rule to remain at least 100 paces away from others, but now he sprawled on the ground, clinging to Jesus’ feet while “giving him thanks.” The words “giving…thanks” paint a poignant picture of the leper’s overflowing gratitude. His heart was so filled with thankfulness that he lay prostrate at Jesus’ feet as he freely poured out appropriate thankfulness from the very core of his being.

Luke 17:16 then tells us that the healed leper was “a Samaritan.” Historically, the general Jewish perception of Samaritans was that they were uneducated and lacked piety, but it was the Samaritan among them who returned to express his gratitude to God for the miraculous healing he received.

Luke 17:17 says, “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” The word “where” is translated from an interrogative pronoun that sets the scene for Jesus’ intense questioning of the healed leper with the words, “Were there not ten cleansed?” With full knowledge that all ten lepers had been wholly cleansed, purified, and freed from the ravaging disease that once consumed them, Jesus sought to understand why only one among them returned to express gratitude.

Luke 17:18 says, “There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” The word “found” conveys the essence of earnest inquiry. This insight allows us to envision Jesus scanning the horizon as He searched for the other nine lepers He had healed only this “stranger” returned to give God glory.

The word “stranger” hails from a Greek word that speaks of an individual perceived as an outsider or who was an alien to the people of Israel. Here, it is implied that the other nine lepers who were healed were likely Jews — but after they received the healing they had sought, their minds quickly set aside any thoughts of gratitude. In their eagerness to be restored to ordinary life, they rushed to the priests to secure their clean bills of health and resume the lives they knew before leprosy struck them. They, too, should have returned to glorify God. But Jesus observed that it was a Samaritan — the quintessential outsider — who was so moved by gratitude that he turned back to glorify God. From this, we learn that showing gratitude for the wonders Jesus has performed in our lives holds great significance for Him. Let us remember to always voice our thanks to Jesus for all His blessings and not fall into the trap of neglecting this expression of our heartfelt appreciation.

Luke 17:19 says, “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” The words “go thy way” are interpreted from a Greek word that means to move from one place to another, and it evokes the image of one who embarks on a new journey. It was the equivalent of saying, “You can move beyond your past existence and move forward into a fresh chapter of life.”

When Satan has ravaged people’s lives, it is always God’s will to free them and set them on a new trajectory toward a better life. Because of Christ’s work on the Cross, every person can be set free and made whole. After God has touched us and changed our lives, we must remember how important it is to express our gratitude to God for what He has done in our lives. Let’s not be guilty of being among the nine lepers who forget to return to say thanks to Jesus!

I pray this letter has blessed you today. If you have any prayer needs, we want to know about them, so we can pray with you. We are promised in First John 5:14-15 that if we pray scripturally, God will hear us and answer us. It is our honor to pray biblically based prayers with you, and we are confident that God will hear us and do what needs to be done! Please either call us at 1-800-742-5593 or write to us at prayer@renner.org to let us know how we can join our faith with yours for God to do a special work in any situation you are facing. Also please pray for Denise and me and our team. We need lots of prayer power behind us, as what we are doing requires the supernatural strength and anointing of God. People need the Word of God, and we are giving our all to see that it gets to them

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team