Luke 17:11-19
Mercy received should return as worshipful gratitude to Jesus.
11 As he was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee.
12 As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance.
13 They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.
16 He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18 Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”
19 Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.”
Mercy received should return as worshipful gratitude to Jesus.
Luke records Jesus healing ten lepers while traveling toward Jerusalem, highlighting that only one, a Samaritan outsider, returns to praise God and give thanks to Jesus, thereby exposing the difference between receiving mercy and responding with faith-filled gratitude.
Following teachings on faith and servanthood (17:1–10), this narrative illustrates genuine faith through grateful response and prepares for kingdom revelation teaching (17:20–37).
As Jesus continues toward Jerusalem, he travels along the border region between Samaria and Galilee. Entering a village, he is met by ten men with leprosy or serious skin disease, who stand at a distance in keeping with social and ceremonial exclusion. They cry out, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us.' Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priests, echoing Levitical procedures for verification of cleansing. As they go, they are cleansed. One of them, seeing that he is healed, returns, praising God in a loud voice. He falls on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanks him. Luke emphasizes that he was a Samaritan. Jesus asks whether all ten were cleansed and where the other nine are, noting that no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner. Jesus then tells him to rise and go; his faith has made him well.
Faithful Servants, Grateful Cleansing, and the Coming Kingdom
The kingdom already present in Jesus demands humble faith, forgiving service, grateful worship, and watchful readiness for the sudden day of the Son of Man.