Luke 8:48 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

NIV: Then he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'

NASB: And He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.'

CSB: "Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

NLT: Daughter,' he said to her, 'your faith has made you well. Go in peace.'

KJV: And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

NKJV: And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

On His way to heal the daughter of a synagogue leader, Jesus is distracted by His own "daughter." She was ill and unclean. She touched the hem of His cloak in secret, potentially making Him unclean. He forced a confession from her in a crowd so tight it's described using terms appropriate for squeezing out the insides of a grape. She has publicly, although reluctantly, admitted she was unclean and, as far as she knows, made Him so as well (Luke 8:43–47).

By drawing attention to the woman, Jesus blesses her in several different ways. He makes sure the entire region knows she is clean; they can freely associate with her. He lets her know that her faith is the reason she is healed; she is not as helpless as she may have thought. Even more, her peace with God is restored.

This is the only time in Scripture where Jesus calls a woman His daughter. The word connotes a familiarity she could never imagine. The title means she was right to touch Him; she was right to think He was responsible for caring for her. Even more, He is happy to do so.

Luke 8:40–56 records the third and fourth examples of Jesus providing salvation from worldly hardships—this time, illness, shame, and death. Jairus begs Jesus to come heal his daughter. Along the way, a chronically ill woman touches Jesus' robe. Jesus stops, blesses her faith, and calls her "daughter." He then raises the young girl from the dead. Jairus and the woman both show their faith through their diligence and boldness to procure Jesus' healing power. Next, Jesus will imbue His disciples with His power to continue His work. These stories are also found in Matthew 9:18–26 and Mark 5:21–43.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/4/2024 8:49:06 AM