Luke 8:50 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”

NIV: Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, 'Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.'

NASB: But when Jesus heard this, He responded to him, 'Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.'

CSB: When Jesus heard it, he answered him, "Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved."

NLT: But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, 'Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.'

KJV: But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

NKJV: But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.”

Jairus found Jesus shortly after He returned from crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jairus's daughter desperately needs Jesus' healing. But on the way to his house, the synagogue leader finds himself watching Jesus interact with a woman who has touched Jesus' cloak and received healing. Jesus tells the woman, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace" (Luke 8:41–48).

While Jesus is speaking, a messenger from Jairus's house arrives to tell him his daughter has dead; there's no more reason to trouble Jesus for healing (Luke 8:49). Jesus responds with a companion comment to that which He gave the woman: have faith. Jairus has seen Jesus willingly heal a woman with a serious medical issue; Jesus has the power and desire to raise a dead girl. Some time later, Jesus will speak to another father whose son desperately needs rescue. Again, Jesus tells the father to have faith. The father responds, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:23–24).

In their book In Search of a Confident Faith, J. P. Moreland and Klaus Issler divide "faith" into three parts: knowledge, assent, and commitment. The woman with an issue of blood knew Jesus had the power to heal, accepted that understanding, and committed herself to take the steps to receive healing. The father of the possessed boy had strong commitment, but struggled with knowledge and assent. Jairus seems to waver in his commitment although he has shown strong knowledge and assent.

God is gracious with us. He knows we are weak humans and cannot have full and complete faith all the time. The strength of our faith may waver, but Jesus' faithfulness never will.

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.