St. Luke alone preserves this miracle (17:11–19). Christ was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee on His way to Jerusalem when, entering a village, ten lepers stood afar off (as the Law required, Lev 13:46) and lifted up their voice: 'Jesus, master, have mercy on us.'
He said only: 'Go, shew yourselves to the priests.' Without question — without yet seeing any sign of healing — they obeyed. 'And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean.' One of them, seeing that he was healed, returned with a loud voice glorifying God, fell on his face at the feet of Jesus, and gave thanks: 'and this was a Samaritan.'
Christ answered: 'Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.' The miracle teaches obedience without sight — the lepers were healed only as they went in obedience — and the supreme importance of thanksgiving. The Samaritan, the foreigner, returns; the nine Israelites, who knew the Law, do not.