The Meaning of Luke 17:12 Explained

Luke 17:12

KJV: And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

YLT: and he entering into a certain village, there met him ten leprous men, who stood afar off,

Darby: And as he entered into a certain village ten leprous men met him, who stood afar off.

ASV: And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  as he  entered  into  a certain  village,  there met  him  ten  men  that were lepers,  which  stood  afar off: 

What does Luke 17:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 17:11-21 - The Man Who Was Grateful
Their common misery drew these poor outcasts together and made them forget the fierce national antipathies of Jew and Samaritan. When bidden to go to the priest, before there were any outward signs of healing, they started, and thus gave evidence of their faith that they were healed. It was this faith that saved them, because faith like this lets in the whole tide of God's saving health. In the case of the poor alien, it was clear that he was not only healed, but saved, as his gratitude and worship indicated. Do we thank God, not only for His miracles, but for His daily providence?
The best things are stillest. The deepest work of God, in the individual and in the community, does not reveal itself to the newspaper reporter, but steals on the world like Spring through garden and woodland. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 17

1  Jesus teaches to avoid occasions of offense;
3  and to forgive one another
5  The power of faith
6  How we are bound to God
11  Jesus heals ten lepers
22  Of the kingdom of God, and the coming of the Son of Man

Greek Commentary for Luke 17:12

Which stood afar off [οι ανεστησαν πορρωτεν]
The margin of Westcott and Hort reads simply εστησαν — estēsan The compound read by B means “rose up,” but they stood at a distance (Leviticus 13:45.). The first healing of a leper (Luke 5:12-16) like this is given by Luke only. [source]
Lepers []
See on Luke 5:12. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 17:12 mean?

And on entering of Him into a certain village met Him ten leprous men who stood afar off
καὶ εἰσερχομένου αὐτοῦ εἴς τινα κώμην ἀπήντησαν [αὐτῷ] δέκα λεπροὶ ἄνδρες οἳ ἔστησαν πόρρωθεν

εἰσερχομένου  on  entering 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἴς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
τινα  a  certain 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
κώμην  village 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κώμη  
Sense: the common sleeping place to which labourers in the field return, a village.
ἀπήντησαν  met 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀπαντάω  
Sense: to go to meet, to meet.
δέκα  ten 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: δέκα 
Sense: ten.
λεπροὶ  leprous 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λεπρός  
Sense: scaly, rough.
ἄνδρες  men 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀνήρ  
Sense: with reference to sex.
ἔστησαν  stood 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἵστημι  
Sense: to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set.
πόρρωθεν  afar  off 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πόρρωθεν  
Sense: from afar, afar off.