⁴⁰ A man with leprosycame to Jesus and knelt down.He begged, “You have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.”

⁴¹ Jesus felt sorry forthe man. So he put his hand on him and said, “I want to! Now you are well.”⁴² At once the man’s leprosy disappeared, and he was well.

⁴³ After Jesus strictly warned the man, he sent him on his way.⁴⁴ He said, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Just go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift to the temple as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed.”

⁴⁵ The man talked about it so much and told so many people, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town. He had to stay away from the towns, but people still came to him from everywhere.