What does God say about healing? I hope these scriptures about healing the body will answer that question. I pray they will grow your faith and your prayer life as well as bring you the healing you desire.

Whether you are here looking for healing scriptures for cancer, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, or one of the many other illnesses that plague our fallen world I know you will find hope in God’s words.

Jesus Healing Scriptures and Stories

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Signs always follow strong faith. Sometimes these signs are flashing in neon and other times they are subtle and seen more by those closest to you than even by you yourself.

Let’s begin our round up of scriptures about healing the body with a couple of stories about Jesus healing. Afterall, he is the one that heals our broken bodies in every aspect- spiritual, physical, and emotional.

Jesus Heals Jarius’s Daughter

Our story begins as Jesus is in the middle of a crowd of people. A synagogue ruler, named Jarius, pushes through the crowd and begs Jesus to come heal his daughter. She is close to death. Jesus agrees and follows the desperate man. The crowd comes along too.

This story pauses as Jesus heals the woman with an issue of blood. Just as he says, “your faith has made you well, go and be healed from your affliction” men come looking for Jairus.

They tell Jarius that his beautiful little girl has died. Don’t bother the teacher anymore.

 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”  And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.” (Mark 5: 21-42)

Jesus Heals the Leper

Luke chapter five tells us of a leper who finds Jesus, falls on his face, and begs him to heal him. His exact words are “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”.

I love this humble profession of faith!

What does Jesus do? He touches the leper and says “be cleansed”. He then instructs him to go show himself to the priests as was commanded by Moses. Remember, Jesus did not come to destroy or replace the law, he came to fulfill it.

Jesus Raises the Widow’s Son

I love the story of Jesus raising the widow’s son in the town of Nain mostly because it is not talked about nearly as often as some of Jesus’s other healings. It is found in Luke chapter 7, sandwiched between the healing of the centurion’s servant and John the Baptist’s inquiry to Jesus from prison.

Jesus is in the town of Nain with his disciples and a big crowd. Can you imagine for a minute the number of people who followed Jesus? Here he is preaching, healing, and casting out demons, all with an authority and compassion they had never seen before. I’d be following him too!

Jesus sees the funeral procession of a young man, the only son of his widowed mother. He is moved with compassion toward the woman. Did you catch that part? He was moved with compassion toward the woman.

Jesus walks over, stops the funeral, and raises the man from the dead. Just like that. End of story.

What?!

You might be thinking “but that was the son of God”. Go back and read the words of Jesus from Mark 16. Those that believe…

See also “5 Inspiring Bible Stories about Healing Body, Mind, and Heart”.

More Scriptures About Healing the Body

As I’m studying these verses, I see one thing so clearly. It is all about faith. Do you believe these verses? Are you following Jesus with your entire heart? Sometimes sickness is more about what is going on in our hearts than what is going on in our bodies.

Ok, let’s study some more verses.

James 5:14-15

Is anyone among you sick? 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. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  (James 5:14-15)

Isaiah 53:4-5

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Jeremiah 17:14

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14)

Psalm 56:8

You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book? (Psalm 56:8)

Psalm 103:3-5

 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.(Psalm 103:3-5)

Jeremiah 57:18-19

 I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near, Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.” (Jeremiah 57:18-19)

Exodus 15:26

For I am the Lord who heals you. (Exodus 15:26)

God is explaining here in the previous verses that as long as the Children of Israel follow God, they will not experience the same kinds of diseases that God had just brought upon the Egyptians. He ends it with this statement reminding them that He is good.

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

1 Peter 2:23-25

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:23-25)

Isaiah 38:15-17

“What shall I say?
He has both spoken to me,
And He Himself has done it.
I shall walk carefully all my years
In the bitterness of my soul.
O Lord, by these things men live;
And in all these things is the life of my spirit;
So You will restore me and make me live.

Indeed it was for my own peace
That I had great bitterness; (Isaiah 38:15-17)

This is Hezekiah speaking in answer to God agreeing to heal him. It is worth mentioning that he says it was for his own peace that he had bitterness.

Sometimes when God allows our bodies to suffer it is in order to teach us something. Whether that be to draw us closer to Himself, to teach us about grace and peace, or in order for us to empathize with others. The lessons we learn in our suffering are endless and while we wait for physical healing we are actually growing stronger spiritually.

Jeremiah 30:17

For I will restore health to you
And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord, (Jeremiah 30:17)

Psalm 107:19-20

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:19-20)

Psalm 6:2

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. (Psalm 6:2)

This psalm is one in which David is grieved. He begs God’s mercy and help. His humility and faith give us words we often can’t produce on our own.

Psalm 41:3

The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;
You will sustain him on his sickbed. (Psalm 41:3)

Malachi 4:2

But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves. (Malachi 4:2)

James 5:16

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)

I have James 5:14-15 listed above, but he says the same thing twice and to emphasize, I separated them. James felt strongly about the connection between faith, healing, and prayer. That might be the answer you need.

A Few More Thoughts on These Scriptures About Healing

Usually, when I share my healing story it is one of healing from grief, but today I want to talk about a physical healing. If you are in a period of grief, please check out these posts!

Healing from Grief: Allowing Yourself to Grow

When You Think You’ve Been Buried: Quotes About Hope and Healing

Psalms for Grief to Encourage Your Broken Heart

I am of the type that blows off physical ailments.  Not sure if it is a result of the way I was raised or if it is related to some doctor anxiety I have.  I tend to power through and pretty much ignore everything that is bothering me.

Such was my method of dealing with migraines.  Even when they became worse and the frequency made them almost unbearable, I told no one.  I suffered silently not because it is noble but because I’m stubborn and insisted on life as normal.

Until I couldn’t.  

We all reach a breaking point and when I hit mine it came with fear, denial, and even more stubbornness.  I could no longer control or hide what was happening with my body.  I was angry, but that does no good.

In truth, I did not seek God.  Someone implied that my chronic migraines were a result of sin in my life and that sent me reeling.  I was almost afraid to seek God thinking maybe He was punishing me.  I don’t want anyone to ever go through those feelings of depression and despair.

Other people were annoyed at me for not letting them in on what was going on while still others simply didn’t care.

Chronic pain is a lonely road.

But it doesn’t have to be because we have Jesus.  I believe that Jesus heals us from the inside out.  His first priority is our spiritual healing and then our physical.  This is certainly what He did with me.

Through my pain and suffering, I learned so much about Him and about myself, and even about others.  I have greater empathy than ever before and a desperation to remain in close contact with God because I can’t live without Him.

Did Jesus reach down and heal me after one fervent prayer?  No.  Was my healing sudden and awe inspiring?  Not really.

It’s been slow, difficult, and confusing, but it has forced me to rely on God day by day and not on myself or those around me.

Do I believe these scriptures about healing the body?  Absolutely.  I’ve seen it in my own life.  Did it happen how I wanted?  No.  Am I better because of it?  Yes!

I’d love for you to share your thoughts in the comments below!