Scripture does not explain why a particular person was not healed. It shows that believers became ill and were not always healed, that Paul received a different answer to his request for deliverance, and that the body remains subject to decay until the resurrection. We cannot conclude from this that an unhealed person is guilty of lacking faith.
What Does the Bible Say About This?
- Paul asked the Lord three times to remove the “thorn in the flesh”; the answer was that grace is sufficient and power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:7–10). The nature of this “thorn” is not identified in the text.
- Trophimus remained sick (2 Tim. 4:20); Epaphroditus became ill and nearly died, but God had mercy on him (Phil. 2:25–27); Timothy was advised to treat his frequent ailments (1 Tim. 5:23).
- Blindness is not always connected with someone’s sin (John 9:1–3).
- In Nazareth, Jesus could not perform any miracle there except laying His hands on a few sick people and healing them, and He marveled at their unbelief (Mark 6:5–6).
- The outward person is wasting away, but the inward person is being renewed (2 Cor. 4:16–18); creation and we ourselves groan as we await the redemption of the body (Rom. 8:20–23).
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the Scripture texts are from the “Father’s Blessing” Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
8 Scripture passages · “Father’s Blessing” Bible
2 Corinthians 12:7–10
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that He might remove it from me. 9 But the Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore, I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
John 9:1–3
1 As He passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be revealed in him.”
2 Timothy 4:20
Erastus remained in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.
Philippians 2:25–27
25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and minister to my need, 26 since he has been longing to see you all and has been deeply distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed, he was ill and near death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
1 Timothy 5:23
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
Mark 6:5–6
5 He could not perform any miracle there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled at their unbelief. Then He went around the villages, teaching.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far surpasses all measure, 18 as we look not at what is seen, but at what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Romans 8:20–23
20 For creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope, 21 that creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning and suffering the pains of childbirth together until now; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we await adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
