Mar 1:40 | NET2full | STEP | Now a leper came to him and fell to his knees , asking for help . “ If you are willing , you can make me clean ,” he said .

‏ Mark 1:40

Cleansing a Leper

40 Now ^{▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.} a leper ^{▼▼sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what is called leprosy today (Hansen’s disease). In the OT the Hebrew term generally referred to a number of exfoliative (scaly) skin diseases (when applied to humans). A person with one of these diseases was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46). In the NT the Greek term also refers to a number of skin diseases, but there is some evidence that true leprosy (Hansen’s disease) could be referred to, since that disease began to be described by Greek physicians in Alexandria, Egypt around 300 B.C. and thus might have been present in Judea and Galilee just before the time of Jesus.} came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If ^{▼▼tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.} you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said.