Bible Strands
Luke 4:27
And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet. Yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the congregation in the Nazareth synagogue while explaining his ministry, immediately following his remark about Elijah’s commission to a Sidonian widow.
The words — πολλοὶ (polloi) translates to “many,” and λεπροὶ (leproi) denotes “lepers,” establishing the specific group present during Elisha’s prophetic ministry.
The thread — The narrative pattern repeats the foreign recipient motif seen in Luke 4:26 and aligns with the historical record of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1, while 1 Kings 19:19 records Elisha’s own calling.
Why it lands — The text states that among many Israelite lepers, only the Syrian Naaman was cleansed. This requires the reader to note that prophetic intervention historically bypassed Israel when the nation did not receive the messenger.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 5:1 Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
- John 17:12 While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
- 1 Kings 19:19 So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
- Matthew 12:4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only for the priests.
- Job 36:23 Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
- Daniel 4:35 All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
- Job 21:22 Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since He judges those on high?
- Job 33:13 Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?