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Bible verses about healing
Verses on bodily healing, inner restoration, prayer for the sick, and the biblical link between healing, mercy, and hope.
What does the Bible say about healing?
Healing in the Bible is not only a medical category. Scripture speaks about wounds of body, heart, memory, and community. Some passages describe dramatic healing; others describe restoration, comfort, patience, and the slow repair of what was broken.
These verses help when you are looking for Bible passages about healing, prayer for the sick, or God’s care for the wounded. Read them together and healing becomes part of a larger biblical picture of mercy, restoration, and resurrection hope.
Key passages
"And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee."
The Lord is named as the healer of his people. In the wilderness of Shur the Israelites had no water. At Marah they had water, but it was bitter; so that they could not drink it.
"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."
Healing is described here as God binding up the brokenhearted. Praising God is work that is its own wages. It is comely; it becomes us as reasonable creatures, much more as people in covenant with God.
"Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise."
Jeremiah turns healing into direct prayer and dependence. The prophet acknowledges the favour of God in setting up religion. There is fulness of comfort in God, overflowing, ever-flowing fulness, like a fountain.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
This suffering-servant passage became central in Christian reflection on healing and restoration. In these verses is an account of the sufferings of Christ; also of the design of his sufferings. It was for our sins, and in our stead, that our Lord Jesus suffered.
"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:"
James explicitly links prayer, eldership, and care for the sick. The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God's name and authority.
"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
Matthew connects Jesus’ healing ministry to Isaiah’s promise-bearing language. Peter had a wife, yet was an apostle of Christ, who showed that he approved of the married state, by being thus kind to Peter's wife's relations.
Main takeaways
- The Bible treats healing as mercy from God rather than as a technique to control him.
- Healing language in Scripture includes inward restoration as well as bodily recovery.
- Biblical hope for healing is strongest when held together with prayer, patience, and trust.
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Reading paths
Start with the person of Jesus before trying to master the whole canon. This route keeps the reading human-scale and direct.
A path for grief, exhaustion, lament, stubborn faith, and the refusal to call pain unreal.
Further guides
Healing in the Bible explained
A guide to healing language in Scripture: bodily restoration, wounded hearts, prayer for the sick, and the relation between healing and hope.
Prophecies about Jesus explained
A guide to the major Old Testament passages Christians read in relation to Christ, and how the New Testament uses them.