“By his stripes we are healed” is one of the most quoted phrases in the Bible, and also one of the most debated. It comes from Isaiah’s prophecy about a suffering servant, written centuries before Jesus, and it’s echoed directly in the New Testament as a description of what His suffering accomplished. But what kind of healing is Isaiah actually promising: physical healing from sickness, spiritual healing from sin, or both? Sincere, Bible-believing Christians read this verse differently, and it’s worth understanding why.
Where the Phrase Comes From
The phrase is from Isaiah 53:5, part of a longer passage describing a servant of God who suffers on behalf of others: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” The verse before it sets the tone: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). The New Testament identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy. Peter quotes it almost word for word: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Peter places “healed” directly alongside “dead to sins” and “live unto righteousness,” which is why this verse is read more than one way.
Does This Promise Physical Healing?
Many Christians, especially in charismatic and Pentecostal traditions, read Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 as a promise that physical healing was purchased at the cross alongside forgiveness of sin. They point to Matthew’s Gospel, which applies part of the same Isaiah passage directly to Jesus healing the sick: “he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:16-17). In this view, physical healing is available to believers now through faith, the same way forgiveness is, because both were secured in the same act.
Other Christians, often in Reformed, cessationist, and many mainline traditions, read “healed” in Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 primarily, or ultimately, as spiritual healing: freedom from sin’s guilt and power, not a guarantee of physical health in this life. They point to Peter’s own wording, where healing sits next to being “dead to sins” and living “unto righteousness.” They also point to Paul, who suffered from a “thorn in the flesh” he asked God three times to remove, and was told instead, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). In this view, physical healing is something God gives at times, according to His will, not something every believer can claim by faith the way forgiveness is claimed.
Answers In Bible doesn’t take a side between these views. Both are held by sincere, scripture-honoring Christians. What both sides agree on is that the cross is central to healing of every kind, and that Jesus’s suffering was never wasted or meaningless.
What the Bible Says About Praying for the Sick
Whatever view a Christian holds on healing in the atonement, the Bible is clear that prayer for the sick has a place in the church. James instructs, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (James 5:14-15). This ties physical restoration and spiritual forgiveness together without fully separating them. James adds, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Praying boldly for healing and trusting God’s will, even when the answer isn’t immediate, aren’t opposites. Scripture makes room for both.
Key Bible Verses
Isaiah 53:5
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
1 Peter 2:24
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Matthew 8:17
“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is physical healing guaranteed to every Christian who has faith?
Christians disagree. Some believe physical healing was fully secured at the cross and is available to any believer who asks in faith. Others believe healing is real and available, but remains subject to God’s sovereign will rather than guaranteed by the strength of a person’s faith. Both views take Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 seriously.
Why didn’t Paul heal himself if healing was purchased at the cross?
Paul asked God three times to remove his “thorn in the flesh” and was told, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Many take this as evidence that even a faithful apostle didn’t receive every physical healing he asked for, showing that God’s answers to prayer for healing aren’t automatic or formulaic.
Related Bible Topics
Bible Verses for Healing | What Is the Gift of Tongues in the Bible? | Common Questions About the Holy Spirit
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