The Soldier’s Great Faith

“But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” — Luke 7:7

In the town of Capernaum there was a Roman army officer called a centurion. He was in charge of a hundred soldiers. He wasn’t an Israelite. He was one of the Romans who ruled the land.

The centurion had a servant he cared about very much. And the servant was very ill, about to die.

The centurion had heard about Jesus. So he sent some of the Jewish leaders of the town to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant.

The Jewish leaders came to Jesus and begged Him to help. “This man deserves it,” they said. “He loves our people, and he even built our synagogue for us.”

So Jesus went with them. But when He was nearly at the house, the centurion sent some friends with another message.

“Lord, don’t trouble Yourself,” the centurion said. “I’m not good enough for You to come into my house. That’s why I didn’t even feel worthy to come to You myself. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. I know about authority. I have officers over me, and I have soldiers under me. I tell one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

The centurion was saying: “You don’t need to come. You’re like a commander. Just give the order, and the illness will obey You.”

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. He turned to the crowd following Him and said, “I tell you, I haven’t found faith as great as this, not even in Israel!”

Then the friends who had been sent went back to the house. And they found the servant completely well.

The centurion was an important man, a powerful soldier. But he was humble. He said he wasn’t worthy for Jesus even to come into his house. And he trusted Jesus completely. He knew that Jesus had power over sickness, and that one word from Jesus was enough, even from far away.

Jesus was amazed at the faith of a Roman soldier, a foreigner. Once again, Jesus showed that His kingdom is for people from every nation who trust Him.

The promise kept: Matthew tells us that when Jesus healed people like this, it kept the promise of Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:17). Jesus came to carry everything that is broken in us.

Read it in your Bible: Luke 7:1–10; Matthew 8:5–13

Dear Jesus, thank you that your word is so powerful that even sickness has to obey you. Please give me faith like the centurion’s, to trust you completely. Amen.