JESUS & THE TEN LEPERS – Bible Story Skit
Luke 17:11-19
Cast: 10 lepers (If possible, they should all have bells to ring, or at least some. Leper # 6 should have a patch over the eye. Leper # 7 should have a stick to use as a crutch. Lepers # 9 and 10 should limp when walking); crowd (all remaining students); Jesus (an adult); narrator (teacher or another adult).
At Rise: Lepers are on one side of stage; crowd the opposite.
Narrator: Lepers were people who had a horrible disease that made sores all over their bodies. Sometimes it crippled them. Sometimes they were blind. But always it made them lonely for leprosy was catching. They always carried bells to ring, warning other stay away. They couldn’t work or live with their families. All they could do was stand by the roadside or outside the gates of the city and beg. Then one day something happened that changed their lives!
(Lepers ring their bells softly so dialogue can be heard. But bells ring all the time.)
Leper 1: Did you hear the good news?
Leper 2: What good news?
Leper 3: I haven’t heard anything.
Leper 4: Me either.
Leper 1: Jesus is coming to town!
Leper 5: Wow!
Leper 6: Really? I can’t wait to see Him!
Leper 7: We’ll never be able to get close enough.
Leper 8: Yeah, you’re right.
Leper 9: We can’t get near the crowd of people.
Leper 10: No, but we can shout!
Lepers 1,2,3: Jesus, have mercy on us!
(The adult playing the part of Jesus comes down aisle to center of stage while following dialogue takes place.)
Person # 1 in Crowd: Jesus is coming!
Person # 2 in Crowd: Look, there’s Jesus with some of His disciples
Person # 3 in Crowd: I see Jesus!
(Crowd whispers “Jesus is coming” to one another.)
Lepers 4,5,6: Jesus, have mercy on us!
Lepers 7,8,9,10: Jesus, have mercy on us!
(Jesus looks at the lepers. Lepers look surprised with eyes wide open – mouths open.)
Leper 1: Jesus is looking at us.
Leper 2: Yeah, I know!
Leper 3: He’s looking RIGHT at us!
(Jesus walks up to the lepers.)
Jesus: Go to the Temple and show the priests that you are healed.
(Jesus leaves them and heads toward the crowd.)
Leper 4: What?
Leper 5: What does Jesus mean we are healed?
Leper 6: still have all my sores.
Leper 7: Yeah, me too!
Leper 8: What are we supposed to do?
Leper 9: I don’t know.
Leper 10: I think we need to do what Jesus said.
(Lepers leave stage and head down center aisle ringing their bells.)
Leper 1: Wait a minute!
Leper 2: What is it?
Leper 1: My sores are gone!
Leper 3: Mine, too!
Leper 4 (turning to leper # 5): Mine are gone and so are yours!
Leper 5: You’re right! Wow!
Leper 6: I can’t believe it! (Take off eye patch.) I can see!
Leper 7: This is unbelievable! I don’t need this crutch anymore.
Leper 8: My skin is smooth and healthy.
Leper 9: I don’t limp anymore!
Leper 10: Me either!
Leper 1: It’s true! Jesus has healed us!
Leper 2: We’re healed!
Leper 3: We can go back to our families!
(Nine of the lepers walk out faster and faster, but one goes back to where Jesus is.)
Narrator: What’s this? Only one? One out of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten lepers. Only one leper remembers that he should go back and thank Jesus. The other nine didn’t even look back.
Leper 10: Jesus!
Person # 4 in Crowd: That man used to be a leper.
Person # 5 in Crowd: He’s healed.
Person # 6: Be quiet! What is he saying?
Person # 7: I can’t hear.
Person # 6: Shhhh!
Leper 10: Jesus, thank you. Oh, thank you for healing me! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Jesus: Didn’t I heal TEN lepers?
(People in crowd all shake their heads in affirmative.)
Jesus: Where are the other nine? (Looks at leper still kneeling before Jesus.) Stand up. Go on your way now. Your faith has made you well.
(The leper walks through the crowd – he walks faster and faster heading home.)
Conclusion: All cast members sing Say Thank You from Miracle Mud album . (Click on song title to hear a clip.)