[1:40] A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. “If you want to,” he said, “you can make me clean.”
[1:41] Jesus was filled with pity, and reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!”
[1:42] At once the disease left the man, and he was clean.
[1:43] Then Jesus spoke sternly to him and sent him away at once,
[1:44] after saying to him, “Listen, don't tell anyone about this. But go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered.”
[1:45] But the man went away and began to spread the news everywhere. Indeed, he talked so much that Jesus could not go into a town publicly. Instead, he stayed out in lonely places, and people came to him from everywhere.