Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5200 Human civilisation  »  5278 cripples

People whose walk, physical or spiritual, is hindered by deformity, permanent or temporary.

Physically crippled from birth

Acts 3:2 See also Acts 14:8

Physically crippled in life

By accident

2 Samuel 4:4 See also 2 Samuel 9:3,13

By God

Genesis 32:24-25 God had a purpose in the crippling of Jacob: it was a mark of his meeting with God. See also Genesis 32:31-32; Hebrews 11:21

By Satan

Luke 13:11 See also Luke 13:16

Cripples healed

By Jesus Christ

Luke 7:22 pp Matthew 11:4-5 See also Matthew 15:30-31; John 5:1-9

By others

Acts 3:7 See also Acts 4:9-10; Acts 8:7; Acts 14:9-10

Cripples and OT sacrifice

Leviticus 21:18-19 A man must be without defect. Physical disability is a defilement to holiness. See also Leviticus 21:6

Crippled animals

Malachi 1:8 Animals, like people, must be holy, without defect, when brought to the LORD. See also Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 3:1; Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 22:18-25; Numbers 6:14; Numbers 28:3; Deuteronomy 15:21; Deuteronomy 17:1; Malachi 1:13-14

Spiritual aspects of being crippled

Physical crippling preferable to spiritual lameness

Matthew 18:8 See also Mark 5:29-30; Mark 9:43

Cripples disadvantaged in life but welcome in the kingdom of God

Micah 4:6-7 See also Jeremiah 31:8; Ezekiel 34:16; Luke 14:13,21

Spiritual cripples healed

Isaiah 35:6 See also Hebrews 12:13

See also

2351  Christ, miracles
4120  Satan
5094  Jacob
5162  lameness
5296  disabilities
5333  healing
5346  injury
5378  law, OT
7413  priesthood, OT
7435  sacrifice, in OT