Chapter
Verse

Matthew 9:25

ESV But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
NIV After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
NASB But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.
CSB After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.
NLT After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!
KJV But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

What does Matthew 9:25 mean?

Jesus has come to the home of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue. Jairus asked Jesus to come and make his sick 12–year-old daughter well (Matthew 9:18–19; Mark 5:21–24). By the time Jesus and the disciples arrived, the girl was reportedly dead, and a group of professional mourners was already playing flutes and wailing. Jesus told them to go away because the girl was only sleeping (Matthew 9:23–24).

The crowd of mourners was ushered out of the house. We know from Luke that only five people remained inside with Him: Peter, James, John, and the girl's parents (Luke 8:51). Now Jesus goes to the girl and takes her by the hand. Mark reports that He spoke to her, saying "Talitha cumi," meaning "little girl, I say to you arise" (Mark 5:41). The girl did exactly that.

By touching a dead body, Jesus would have become ceremonially unclean under the law for seven days (Numbers 19:11–21). But since the girl immediately returned to life, He was not guilty of touching a corpse. Jesus repeatedly uses His power to restore cleanness to those who were unclean under the law.
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