1 40 Once he was approached by a leper, who knelt before him begging his help. 'If only you will,' said the man, 'you can cleanse me.' 1 41 In warm indignation Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, 'Indeed I will; be clean again.' 1 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was clean. 1 43 Then he dismissed him with this stern warning: 1 44 'Be sure you say nothing to anybody. Go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering laid down by Moses for your cleansing; that will certify the cure.' 1 45 But the man went out and made the whole story public; he spread it far and wide, until Jesus could no longer show himself in any town, but stayed outside in the open country. Even so, people kept coming to him from all quarters.