Eight miraculous healings bible study

 

Here are eight outstanding examples of people being miraculously healed of various diseases and disabling conditions in the bible, several have excellent  additional lessons too, before, during, and after they occurred, which have things that we can apply to our lives today, too. The first example is Elisha and Naaman’s leprosy.

Elisha- Naaman being cleansed of leprosy

Here is the wonderful story of the healing of Naaman of his leprosy and the fact that Elisha would not take anything for what was really God’s gift and mercy, though Naaman did need to obey the supplied instructions (he was rather angry at first about it). The really sad part of the story was Elisha’s assistant, Gehazi’s greed at the end, looking for personal gain out of the whole situation.

(2 Kings 5:1)  Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

 

(2 Kings 5:2)  Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife.

 

(2 Kings 5:3)  She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

 

(2 Kings 5:4)  So Naaman went in and told his lord, "Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel."

 

(2 Kings 5:5)  And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

 

(2 Kings 5:6)  And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy."

 

(2 Kings 5:7)  And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me."

 

(2 Kings 5:8)  But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."

 

(2 Kings 5:9)  So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house.

 

(2 Kings 5:10)  And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."

 

(2 Kings 5:11)  But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

 

(2 Kings 5:12)  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.

 

(2 Kings 5:13)  But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"

 

(2 Kings 5:14)  So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

 

(2 Kings 5:15)  Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant."

 

(2 Kings 5:16)  But he said, "As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

 

(2 Kings 5:17)  Then Naaman said, "If not, please let there be given to your servant two mules' load of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.

 

(2 Kings 5:18)  In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter."

 

(2 Kings 5:19)  He said to him, "Go in peace." But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance,

 

(2 Kings 5:20)  Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him."

 

(2 Kings 5:21)  So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, "Is all well?"

 

(2 Kings 5:22)  And he said, "All is well. My master has sent me to say, 'There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'"

 

(2 Kings 5:23)  And Naaman said, "Be pleased to accept two talents." And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.

 

(2 Kings 5:24)  And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.

 

(2 Kings 5:25)  He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant went nowhere."

 

(2 Kings 5:26)  But he said to him, "Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants?

 

(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.

 

Note how at the end Gehazi is so severely punished for his greed, with the leprosy of Naaman, not only does this leprosy affect him but all his descendents. Healing is a gift from God and is not something that someone who benefits it should have to pay for. It also looks like Gehazi may have lied to Elisha when he said he went nowhere. The Holy Spirit must have revealed to Elisha what no good that Gehazi was up to no good, begging Naaman.

Now, the study goes  on to some healings that were done by the master healer of all time, namely Jesus. All the ones I was led to include came on the Sabbath day, and the legalistic Pharisees got really mad because of it, as the felt that this type of healing was “work” and thus prohibited by the Sabbath laws, so there are other lessons to be learned here as well, particularly the value of doing good, even if it is on a Sabbath day. First is they guy who was in his bed by the pool

Jesus- they crippled guy on the bed at the pool walks, carrying bed

            Here is the story of the guy on the bed who Jesus came to and healed on the Sabbath day. Jesus of course was persecuted for doing so by the Jews/Pharisees but he does respond with a really good teaching, which, along with the healing, I will also share

(John 5:1)  After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

 

(John 5:2)  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.

 

(John 5:3)  In these lay a multitude of invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed [waiting for the moving of the water;]

 

(John 5:4)  [for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.]

 

(John 5:5)  One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

 

(John 5:6)  When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"

 

(John 5:7)  The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me."

 

(John 5:8)  Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk."

 

(John 5:9)  And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

 

(John 5:10)  So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed."

 

(John 5:11)  But he answered them, "The man who healed me, that man said to me, 'Take up your bed, and walk.'"

 

(John 5:12)  They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?"

 

(John 5:13)  Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.

 

(John 5:14)  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you."

 

(John 5:15)  The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

 

(John 5:16)  And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

 

(John 5:17)  But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."

 

(John 5:18)  This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

 

(John 5:19)  So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

 

(John 5:20)  For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.

 

(John 5:21)  For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

 

(John 5:22)  The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,

 

(John 5:23)  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

 

(John 5:24)  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 

(John 5:25)  "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

 

(John 5:26)  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

 

(John 5:27)  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

 

(John 5:28)  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice

 

(John 5:29)  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

 

(John 5:30)  "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

 

(John 5:31)  If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true.

 

(John 5:32)  There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

 

(John 5:33)  You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

 

(John 5:34)  Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.

 

(John 5:35)  He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

 

(John 5:36)  But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.

 

(John 5:37)  And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,

 

(John 5:38)  and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

 

(John 5:39)  You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

 

(John 5:40)  yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

 

(John 5:41)  I do not receive glory from people.

 

(John 5:42)  But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.

 

(John 5:43)  I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

 

(John 5:44)  How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

 

(John 5:45)  Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope.

 

(John 5:46)  For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

 

(John 5:47)  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"

 

            What a powerful discourse Jesus gives here to the Jews who were bent on persecuting Him for what seemed to them Sabbath breaking, for they were more intent on insisting the law being kept than mercy and love being shown to others on the Sabbath day. Next I am going to go to John 9, where the blind man was healed, one who was blind since birth          

Jesus opens the eyes of a man blind from birth

            Here is the healing of the blind man, since birth. People wondered then who might have sinned that he had this unfortunate thing happened to Him. Jesus said nobody did sin. Note that like Naaman, he has to follow an instruction once his eyes were anointed with the clay. Also note that he also was persecuted by the Pharisees, who cast him out(excommunicated) him from the Synagogue, but Jesus came to him after that happened. The Pharisees cannot handle anyone being healed on the Sabbath day.

(John 9:1)  As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.

 

(John 9:2)  And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

 

(John 9:3)  Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

 

(John 9:4)  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

 

(John 9:5)  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

 

(John 9:6)  Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud

 

(John 9:7)  and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

 

(John 9:8)  The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"

 

(John 9:9)  Some said, "It is he." Others said, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the man."

 

(John 9:10)  So they said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"

 

(John 9:11)  He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed and received my sight."

 

(John 9:12)  They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

 

(John 9:13)  They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

 

(John 9:14)  Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.

 

(John 9:15)  So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."

 

(John 9:16)  Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.

 

(John 9:17)  So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

 

(John 9:18)  The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight

 

(John 9:19)  and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"

 

(John 9:20)  His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.

 

(John 9:21)  But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."

 

(John 9:22)  (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)

 

(John 9:23)  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

 

(John 9:24)  So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner."

 

(John 9:25)  He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."

 

(John 9:26)  They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

 

(John 9:27)  He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?"

 

(John 9:28)  And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

 

(John 9:29)  We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."

 

(John 9:30)  The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.

 

(John 9:31)  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

 

(John 9:32)  Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.

 

(John 9:33)  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

 

(John 9:34)  They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

 

(John 9:35)  Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

 

(John 9:36)  He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"

 

(John 9:37)  Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you."

 

(John 9:38)  He said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

 

(John 9:39)  Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind."

 

(John 9:40)  Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?"

 

(John 9:41)  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains.

            Jesus heard of the guy being thrown out and came to him. He then expressed a purpose of His(Jesus) being there, even telling the Pharisees their guilt remains since they say they see. Another Sabbath healing occurs in Matthew 12, this one with a withered hand.

Man with a withered hand healed in synagogue

            Here is the story of the healing of a guy on the Sabbath day in a synagogue service. It is preceded by a dialogue where Jesus’ disciples were eating and gathering as they should technically not have been on a Sabbath day. I am adding the whole chapter here in this bible study as it contains many valuable lessons, especially this chapter speaks out against the legalism of the Pharisees, which many Christians carry on to this day, sadly

(Mattthew 12:1)  At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

 

(Matthew 12:2)  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

 

(Matthew 12:3)  He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:

 

(Matthew 12:4)  how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

 

(Matthew 12:5)  Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

 

(Matthew 12:6)  I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.

 

(Matthew 12:7)  And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.

 

(Matthew 12:8)  For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

 

(Matthew 12:9)  He went on from there and entered their synagogue.

 

(Matthew 12:10)  And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--so that they might accuse him.

 

(Matthew 12:11)  He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

 

(Matthew 12:12)  Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

 

(Matthew 12:13)  Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.

 

(Matthew 12:14)  But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

 

(Matthew 12:15)  Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all

 

(Matthew 12:16)  and ordered them not to make him known.

 

(Matthew 12:17)  This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

 

(Matthew 12:18)  "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

 

(Matthew 12:19)  He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

 

(Matthew 12:20)  a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;

 

(Matthew 12:21)  and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

 

(Matthew 12:22)  Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.

 

(Matthew 12:23)  And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"

 

(Matthew 12:24)  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."

 

(Matthew 12:25)  Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.

 

(Matthew 12:26)  And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

 

(Matthew 12:27)  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

 

(Matthew 12:28)  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

 

(Matthew 12:29)  Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

 

(Matthew 12:30)  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

 

(Matthew 12:31)  Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

 

(Matthew 12:32)  And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

 

(Matthew 12:33)  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

 

(Matthew 12:34)  You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

 

(Matthew 12:35)  The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

 

(Matthew 12:36)  I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

 

(Matthew 12:37)  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

 

(Matthew 12:38)  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."

 

(Matthew 12:39)  But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

 

(Matthew 12:40)  For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 

(Matthew 12:41)  The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

 

(Matthew 12:42)  The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

 

(Matthew 12:43)  "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.

 

(Matthew 12:44)  Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.

 

(Matthew 12:45)  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."

 

(Matthew 12:46)  While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.

 

(Matthew 12:47)  [Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you."]

 

(Matthew 12:48)  But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

 

(Matthew 12:49)  And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

 

(Matthew 12:50)  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

 

There are multiple healings here plus a powerful message against legalism too, as well as a stern warning to the Pharisees. Here is a version in Mark of the same healing saying how Jesus was grieved by the hardness of the Pharisees hearts:

(Mark 3:1)  Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand.

 

(Mark 3:2)  And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.

 

(Mark 3:3)  And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here."

 

(Mark 3:4)  And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.

 

(Mark 3:5)  And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

 

(Mark 3:6)  The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

 

 This legalism and attitude mainly by the Pharisees against healing on the Sabbath day in a synagogue is continued on in Luke 13 where this time Jesus heals a woman with a disability that she had for a long time.

Jesus heals woman with disability Sabbath day

            Here is a woman who again was healed on the Sabbath day in a synagogue who had this disability for 18 years

(Luke 13:10)  Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

 

(Luke 13:11)  And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.

 

(Luke 13:12)  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability."

 

(Luke 13:13)  And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

 

(Luke 13:14)  But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

 

(Luke 13:15)  Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?

 

(Luke 13:16)  And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

 

(Luke 13:17)  As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

 

(Luke 13:18)  He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

 

(Luke 13:19)  It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches."

 

(Luke 13:20)  And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?

 

(Luke 13:21)  It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."

 

It is good how Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of the people at the synagogue for He knows they would lead a donkey or others to water on the Sabbath day yet they don’t want to let Him heal someone. These two mini parables are interesting too. I like how he shames the Pharisees and his other adversaries at the end of the story too. Anther similar story follows

Man healed of Dropsy

            Here is a story of a man healed of dropsy at a Pharisee’s house during a dinner, then he has a couple good teachings after doing the healing. Once again, they could not bear the fact that Jesus was healing on the Sabbath.

(Luke 14:1)  One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.

 

(Luke 14:2)  And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy.

 

(Luke 14:3)  And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?"

 

(Luke 14:4)  But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away.

 

(Luke 14:5)  And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?"

 

(Luke 14:6)  And they could not reply to these things.

 

(Luke 14:7)  Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,

 

(Luke 14:8)  "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,

 

(Luke 14:9)  and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.

 

(Luke 14:10)  But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.

 

(Luke 14:11)  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

(Luke 14:12)  He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

 

(Luke 14:13)  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

 

(Luke 14:14)  and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

 

(Luke 14:15)  When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

 

(Luke 14:16)  But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.

 

(Luke 14:17)  And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

 

(Luke 14:18)  But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.'

 

(Luke 14:19)  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.'

 

(Luke 14:20)  And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

 

(Luke 14:21)  So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'

 

(Luke 14:22)  And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.'

 

(Luke 14:23)  And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

 

(Luke 14:24)  For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"

 

Jesus was continually persecuted by the legalistic Pharisees for healing on the Sabbath day, but He was always had responses and stories which usually humbled and chastened the people whom He spoke them too, which were mainly the Pharisees,  and exposed their hypocrisies. After Jesus died, was raised and went to heaven to be by the Father, there was a miraculous healing at the temple and there too the disciples were persecuted, in an effort to stop the spread of the new Christianity.

Peter and John cripple at the temple gate healed

Here is the story of Peter, John and the healing of the guy at the temple and the results of it. Many people were saved and they actually persecuted those who were involved in the healing, perhaps out of envy, but certainly an attempt to slow and stop the growth of Christianity. Everyone there was amazed by the miraculous healing, for many saw the man leaping and jumping and praising God as he entered in the synagogue, while before the healing he was only a beggar on the outside.

(Acts 3:1)  Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

 

(Acts 3:2)  And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

 

(Acts 3:3)  Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.

 

(Acts 3:4)  And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

 

(Act 3:5)  And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

 

(Acts 3:6)  But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"

 

(Acts 3:7)  And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

 

(Acts 3:8)  And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

 

(Acts 3:9)  And all the people saw him walking and praising God,

 

(Acts 3:10)  and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

 

(Acts 3:11)  While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's.

 

(Acts 3:12)  And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

 

(Acts 3:13)  The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

 

(Acts 3:14)  But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

 

(Acts 3:15)  and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

 

(Acts 3:16)  And his name--by faith in his name--has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

 

(Acts 3:17)  "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

 

(Acts 3:18)  But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.

 

(Acts 3:19)  Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,

 

(Acts 3:20)  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

 

(Acts 3:21)  whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

 

(Acts 3:22)  Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.

 

(Acts 3:23)  And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.'

 

(Acts 3:24)  And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.

 

(Acts 3:25)  You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'

 

(Acts 3:26)  God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness."

 

(Acts 4:1)  And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

 

(Acts 4:2)  greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

 

(Acts 4:3)  And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

 

(Acts 4:4)  But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

 

(Act 4:5)  On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,

 

(Act 4:6)  with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.

 

(Act 4:7)  And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"

 

(Act 4:8)  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

 

(Act 4:9)  if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

 

(Act 4:10)  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by him this man is standing before you well.

 

(Act 4:11)  This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

 

(Act 4:12)  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

 

(Act 4:13)  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

 

(Act 4:14)  But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

 

(Act 4:15)  But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,

 

(Act 4:16)  saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

 

(Act 4:17)  But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name."

 

(Act 4:18)  So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

 

(Act 4:19)  But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

 

(Act 4:20)  for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

 

(Act 4:21)  And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

 

(Act 4:22)  For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

 

God used the miracle to bring many, many  new people in to His kingdom. The authorities at the hearing and trial of the disciples tried to stop and silence the disciples from spreading and growing the new Christianity, but they could not do so. Next is the story about the healing of a cripple when Paul was speaking to a group in Lystra

Cripple healed and walked while Paul preached

Here is the story of a cripple hearing Paul speak who then was healed. This happened at Lystra, where the people were so awed they wanted to treat Paul and Barnabas as though they were gods themselves, and even tried to make a sacrifice to them.

(Acts 14:8)  Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.

 

(Acts 14:9)  He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,

 

(Acts 14:10)  said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he sprang up and began walking.

 

(Acts 14:11)  And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!"

 

(Acts 14:12)  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

 

(Acts 14:13)  And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

 

(Acts 14:14)  But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out,

 

(Acts 14:15)  "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

 

(Acts 14:16)  In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

 

(Acts 14:17)  Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."

 

(Acts 14:18)  Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

 

Paul and Barnabas could just barely stop them from doing the sacrifice that they were planning to do for them, even though they had sharply rebuked them for wanting to do this, they wanted them to glorify the real God, and not men for the miraculous healing.

Due to the fact it says in the bible Jesus does not ever change in this verse

(Hebrews 13:8)  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Jesus can come and heal you as well, as he did all the people in the stories above. The same gift of healing is around for all of us today, just as it was for the apostles, Jesus Himself, and even Elisha. If you are in need of healing for anything, or anyone, please pray this prayer with me for general healing:

Lord, You invite all who are burdened to come to You. Allow your healing hand to heal me. Touch my soul with Your compassion for others. Touch my heart with Your courage and infinite love for all. Touch my mind with Your wisdom, that my mouth may always proclaim Your praise. Teach me to reach out to You in my need, and help me to lead others to You by my example. Most loving Heart of Jesus, bring me health in body and spirit that I may serve You with all my strength. Touch gently this life which You have created, now and forever. Amen.

 

Here is another excellent prayer for your healing of any kind:

Dear Lord of Mercy and Father of Comfort,

You are the One I turn to for help in moments of weakness and times of need. I ask you to be with your servant in this illness. Psalm 107:20 says that you send out your Word and heal. So then, please send your healing Word to your servant. In the name of Jesus, drive out all infirmity and sickness from his body.Dear Lord, I ask you to turn this weakness into strength suffering into compassion, sorrow into joy, and pain into comfort for others. May your servant trust in your goodness and hope in your faithfulness, even in the middle of this suffering. Let him be filled with patience and joy in your presence as he waits for your healing touch.Please restore your servant to full health, dear Father. Remove all fear and doubt from his heart by the power of your Holy Spirit, and may you, Lord, be glorified through his life.As you heal and renew your servant, Lord, may he bless and praise you. ll of this I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Here is a prayer so you can personally know the one who loves you so, wants to heal you, and loves you more than ever, to welcome Him in your heart for the first time or come back to Him because there is no relationship on this earth that is quite like a relationship with Jesus:

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life. Amen.

God bless you and yours.