And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

LUKE 17:12KJV
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Luke 17:12 (KJV)

What does Luke 17:12 mean?

Luke 17:12 describes Jesus entering a village and being met by ten men who had leprosy, but these men kept their distance from him. The verse highlights the social separation that people with leprosy experienced, as they were required to stay apart from others.

In this scene, Jesus is traveling, and as he approaches a village, these ten men with leprosy come out to meet him but do not come close. The detail that they "stood afar off" shows both their awareness of the rules about contagious diseases and their hope that Jesus might help them despite their isolation.

The Greek behind Luke 17:12

  • λέπροι (leproi): This word means "lepers," referring to people suffering from a skin disease that made them outcasts in society. The use of this word emphasizes their exclusion and the seriousness of their condition.
  • πορρώθεν (porrōthen): Translated as "afar off," this word shows that the men kept their distance, which was required by law and custom to prevent the spread of disease. This detail underlines both their respect for the law and their desperation.

Why Luke 17:12 matters

  • The verse sets up the miracle that follows by showing the desperate situation of the men and their separation from society, making Jesus’ response more significant.
  • It highlights the social and religious barriers that people with leprosy faced, helping readers understand the courage it took for these men to approach Jesus at all.
  • The detail about standing "afar off" connects to the theme of inclusion and mercy that runs through Luke’s Gospel, showing Jesus’ willingness to engage with those whom society avoided.

Where else these words appear

“off” Greek G4207 · used in 2 verses

  • Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

“met” Greek G528 · used in 7 verses

  • Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
  • Mark 14:13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
  • John 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

“lepers” Greek G3015 · used in 9 verses

  • Matthew 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
  • Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
  • Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

“ten” Greek G1176 · used in 24 verses

  • Matthew 20:24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
  • Luke 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
  • Acts 25:6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.