In brief
The woman with the issue of blood had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all she had on doctors without relief. While Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment, convinced she would be healed. She was, at that very moment. Jesus then called her out before everyone and told her that her faith had made her well and that she should go in peace. Her story appears in Mark, Luke and Matthew.
What does the name The Woman with the Issue of Blood mean?
The Gospels do not give her name: she is identified by her illness. A later tradition, with no biblical basis, has sometimes called her Veronica. Jesus, however, gives her a title more precious than a name when he calls her daughter (Mark 5:34).
The story of The Woman with the Issue of Blood
Twelve years of suffering
Mark 5:25-26A woman has suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She has endured much under the care of many doctors and has spent everything she had, without any relief: her condition is getting worse. Under the law of Moses, such bleeding also made her unclean, adding isolation to illness.
An act of faith in the crowd
Mark 5:27-28She has heard about Jesus. As he makes his way to the house of Jairus, pressed by the crowd, she comes up behind him and touches his garment. She tells herself that if she can just touch his clothes, she will be healed. Her approach is discreet, but it rests on real trust in Jesus.
An immediate healing
Mark 5:29-32At that moment the bleeding stops and she feels in her body that she is healed. Jesus knows that power has gone out from him and asks who touched his clothes. His disciples are astonished, since the crowd is pressing against him on every side, but Jesus keeps looking around to see who did it.
The whole truth before Jesus
Luke 8:47Realizing she cannot go unnoticed, the woman comes trembling and falls at his feet. In front of all the people, she explains why she touched him and how she was healed instantly. The one who wanted to pass unnoticed becomes a public witness to the power of Jesus.
Daughter, your faith has healed you
Mark 5:34Jesus calls her daughter, tells her that her faith has made her well, and sends her away in peace, free from her suffering. He does not merely heal her body. He welcomes her publicly, restores her dignity and gives her peace. Then he continues on his way to the house of Jairus.
Test your knowledge
What The Woman with the Issue of Blood teaches us
- Jesus is within reach even of those whom society pushes aside.
- A humble faith, even a hesitant one, can lay hold of the power of the Lord.
- Jesus does not only want to heal, he wants to meet personally those who come to him.
- Telling what God has done is part of the healing.
- In the crowd, Jesus notices each person and takes time for the one who is suffering.
Key verses
The woman's inner conviction: a simple touch of Jesus will be enough. This faith does not rest on a ritual but on the person of the Lord, who alone could do what the doctors could not.
Jesus credits the healing to faith, calls her daughter and gives her peace. The encounter restores her body, her relationship with God and her place among the people.
Trembling, the woman publicly confesses what Jesus has done for her. This verse shows that faith receives grace in secret and then proclaims it before everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the woman with the issue of blood touch the garment of Jesus?
She was convinced that a simple touch of Jesus would heal her. Sick and considered unclean, she most likely came up from behind so as not to be noticed. Jesus nevertheless called her out before everyone in order to welcome her.
What was the name of the woman with the issue of blood?
The Bible does not give her name. The name Veronica comes from a later tradition, outside the Gospels, and must not be presented as a fact. Jesus himself calls her daughter, which says the essential about her new relationship with God.
Where can I find the story of the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible?
Her story is told in three Gospels: Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48 and Matthew 9:20-22. Each time it is set within the account of Jairus, the synagogue leader, whose daughter Jesus will then bring back to life.