Single lesson
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 5:12–16
In this lesson, children will trace what happened when a man with leprosy came to Jesus, notice Jesus’ words and actions, and think about the difference between listening to Jesus and spreading our own message.
Before you teach
Matthew, Mark and Luke each tell this account. In these verses, a man with leprosy comes to Jesus and asks to be made clean. Jesus touches him, says he is willing, and the man is immediately made clean. Jesus then gives a clear command about what to do next.
Students will be able to put the account in order, name Jesus’ response and the man’s response, and explain one outcome from each.
Welcome: Notice the man’s request
5 minInvite children to listen for the man’s words. Explain that in all three accounts, the man comes directly to Jesus and asks to be made clean. He begs, kneels or falls on his face, and says, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” These details help children notice both need and trust in Jesus’ ability.
Matthew 8:2, Mark 1:40, Luke 5:12
Read and explain: Jesus touches and speaks
7 minRead the healing verses aloud. Point out two important actions from Jesus: he stretches out his hand and touches the man, and he says, “I want to. Be made clean.” Mark also says Jesus was moved with compassion. Then the change happens immediately, showing a direct result from Jesus’ word and action in this account.
Matthew 8:3, Mark 1:41, Mark 1:42, Luke 5:13
Discuss: Jesus gives a command
6 minHelp the group follow what Jesus says after the healing. He tells the man to tell nobody, to go to the priest, and to offer what Moses commanded as a testimony. This lets children see that the story is not only about healing, but also about listening carefully to Jesus’ instructions.
Matthew 8:4, Mark 1:43, Mark 1:44, Luke 5:14
Make and respond: Sequence the choices and outcomes
8 minChildren make four simple sequence cards for the story: the man asks, Jesus touches and speaks, Jesus gives instructions, the report spreads. As they place the cards in order, ask them to match each choice with its outcome. End by noting that many people came, and Luke says Jesus withdrew and prayed.
Mark 1:40, Mark 1:41, Mark 1:44, Mark 1:45, Luke 5:15, Luke 5:16
Closing: What this teaches about God and people
4 minSummarise with short statements children can repeat: the man came to Jesus, Jesus was willing, Jesus made him clean, Jesus gave a command, and the man’s later action had consequences. Encourage children to answer using words from the passage, especially Jesus’ words, “I want to. Be made clean.”
Matthew 8:2, Matthew 8:3, Matthew 8:4, Mark 1:45
Questions to explore
What did the man ask Jesus to do, and what does that show he believed Jesus could do?
Look closely at the repeated sentence, “If you want to, you can make me clean,” and notice that the man speaks about what Jesus is able to do.
Matthew 8:2, Mark 1:40, Luke 5:12
What did Jesus do and say before the man was made clean?
Find both the action and the words from Jesus, then connect them with the immediate result in the next part of the verse.
Mark 1:41, Mark 1:42, Luke 5:13
What happened after Jesus told the man to say nothing to anybody?
Compare Jesus’ instruction with what Mark says the man did, then notice the effect on where Jesus could go.
Mark 1:44, Mark 1:45
Make, think or respond
Four-Part Story Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Paper or card
- Pencils or crayons
- Scissors
Try it together
- Give each child or pair four small pieces of paper.
- Ask them to draw one simple picture on each card: the man asking, Jesus touching, the instruction to go to the priest, and the report spreading.
- Children place the cards in order and retell the account using the words from the verses.
- If time allows, children turn over one card at a time and tell what choice or action happened there and what followed.
This activity helps children follow the order of the account by matching the man’s request in Matthew 8:2, Jesus’ touch and words in Matthew 8:3 and Mark 1:41, Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 8:4 and Mark 1:44, the spread of the report in Mark 1:45 and Luke 5:15, and Jesus praying in Luke 5:16.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-fold a sheet into four boxes instead of making separate cards, and let them draw one picture in each box while you retell the account slowly.
- For stronger readers, give the class the exact sayings from the passage to match with the correct picture, including “If you want to”, “I want to”, and “tell nobody”.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Lord Jesus, thank you that you were willing to help this man. Please help us listen carefully to your words and respond to you truthfully and obediently.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 8
1 When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2 Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4 Jesus said to him, “See that you tell nobody; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Mark 1
40 A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”
41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”
42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean.
43 He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out,
44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”
45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.
Luke 5
12 While he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
13 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him.
14 He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”
15 But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 But he withdrew himself into the desert and prayed.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.