What does the Bible say about Leprosy?
Leprosy has terrorized mankind since biblical times and was recorded as early as 600 BC in India, China, and Egypt. The phrase “leprosy” and its semantic variants are mentioned 68 times in the Bible. In the Old Testament, the cases of leprosy likely involved a kind of infectious skin disease.
In the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, leprosy is mentioned as a severe and contagious skin disease. The book of Leviticus contains detailed instructions on how to identify and manage cases of leprosy within the community. Leviticus 13 and Lev. 14 outline the procedures for diagnosing and addressing leprosy, emphasizing the need for priests to examine affected individuals and declare them ceremonially unclean if the disease is confirmed.
Leprosy was considered a symbol of impurity and sin, and those afflicted were often isolated from the rest of the community. Leviticus 13:45-46 describes how lepers were required to dwell outside the camp and cover their mouths, signaling their unclean status. The purification process, as outlined in Leviticus 14, involved a series of rituals and sacrifices that the healed individual had to undergo before being reintegrated into society.
Top Verses about Leprosy in the Bible
Leviticus 13:45-46 - “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Leviticus 14 - Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases
The LORD said to Moses, “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest: The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them. If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease, the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the person to be cleansed. Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields...
Mark 1:40-42 - And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
Luke 17:12-14 - And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
Matthew 10:8 - Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Matthew 8:3 - And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
2 Kings 7:3 - Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die?
2 Kings 5:27 - Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.
Numbers 5:2 - “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.
Luke 5:13 - And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Discover more Bible verses about Leprosy in this collection of scripture quotes.