And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
LUKE 10:9KJVWhat does Luke 10:9 mean?
Luke 10:9 records Jesus instructing his followers to heal the sick in the towns they visit and to tell the people that God’s kingdom has come near to them. The verse highlights both a practical act of compassion and a message about God’s presence and rule drawing close.
In this scene, Jesus is speaking to a group of seventy-two disciples he is sending out ahead of him. He tells them to care for the sick as a sign of God’s concern and to announce that something significant—God’s kingdom—is arriving. The verse connects physical healing with the spiritual message that God’s reign is coming near in a new and real way.
The Greek behind Luke 10:9
- The word for “heal” is θεραπεύετε (therapeuete), which means to care for or restore to health. This word often carries the sense of attentive, ongoing care, not just a one-time miracle.
- “Sick” is ἀσθενεῖς (astheneis), meaning those who are weak or ill. The term can refer to any kind of weakness, not only physical sickness.
- The phrase “is come nigh unto you” uses ἤγγικεν (ēngiken), which means to draw near or approach. In this context, it emphasizes that God’s kingdom is not distant or abstract, but close and available.
Why Luke 10:9 matters
- Luke 10:9 clarifies that Jesus’ mission involved both meeting practical needs and proclaiming spiritual truth, not just one or the other.
- The verse shows that the arrival of God’s kingdom is meant to be experienced in real life, through acts of healing and kindness, not just words.
- It connects the disciples’ actions directly to the message they carry, showing that the good news of God’s kingdom is demonstrated as well as declared.