Luke 4:27There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian."
The setting
Still in the Nazareth synagogue. The tension is building as Jesus continues citing Old Testament examples of God helping foreigners over Israelites. Modern Nazareth, Israel.
The emotion here: intentionally escalating confrontation, pushing them toward the breaking point
The original word
katharizō (καθαρίζω) — to cleanse, make clean, both physically and ceremonially pure
Why it matters
Naaman was a Syrian general, Israel's military enemy, yet God healed him over any Jewish leper
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 4:27
There were many Jewish lepers who never got healed, but the foreign enemy commander did
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows God loves everyone equally, but Jesus is specifically highlighting that God sometimes favors outsiders over His own people when they're prideful.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 4:27
Bible Genome reading
Luke 4:27 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 4:27 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 45% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include healing, outsider. Notable phrases: many lepers; except Naaman the Syrian.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 4:27 mean to you, today?
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