In this blog I want to share with you one huge insight I gained as I researched and wrote the book Hearing God's Voice for Healing. The revelation concerns the two main Greek words in the New Testament that are translated as “heal.” They are Iaomai and Therapeuo. 

The Greek word for therapeutic is therapeuo. It is significant that even though this word for therapeutic healings occurs more often than the word iaomai does, it appears that iaomai leans more toward power healings with a greater likeliness that there may be an immediate visible healing effect. 

In contrast, therapeutic healing is a cure which more often takes time. There are times when therapeutic healing does appear to provide an immediate visible effect, and this is when deliverance is part of the therapeutic process.

I do assume there is some overlap between these two main words for healing.

Iaomai or iama from the NASB – immediate mentioned on 9 occasions

1. Great faith – instant healing: “But the centurion said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, “Go!” and he goes, and to another, “Come!” and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this!” and he does it.’ Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, ‘Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel….’ And Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed’ And the servant was healed (iaomai) that very moment” (Mat 8:8-10; 8:13; Lk. 7:7).
2. The passionate and persistent demonstrate great faith and receive instant healing: “Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed (iaomai) at once” (Matt. 15:28 NASB).
3. Touched garments in faith, a flow of power, immediate healing: “For she thought, 'If I just touch His garments, I will get well.’ Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed (iaomai) of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched My garments?’ And His disciples said to Him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, “Who touched Me?"’ And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed (hugiēs - G5199 – made sound) of your affliction’" (Mk. 5:28-34; Lk. 8:47).
4. Power of the Lord present to perform healing: “One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing (iaomai)” (Lk. 5:17 NASB).
5. Healing power flows through touch: “And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing (iaomai) them all” (Lk. 6:19 NASB).
6. Appears that deliverance occurred first, and healing second, with both occurring fairly quickly: “While he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed (iaomai) the boy and gave him back to his father” (Lk. 9:42 NASB).
7. Healed instantly by touch and creative healing: “But Jesus answered and said, ‘Stop! No more of this.’ And He touched his ear and healed (iaomai) him” (Lk. 22:51 NASB).
8. Instant healing through the spoken word: “When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal (iaomai) his son; for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.’ The royal official said to Him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son lives.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, ‘Your son lives;’ and he himself believed and his whole household. This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee” (Jn. 4:47-54).
9. Healing was spoken and a command to act which was obeyed: “Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals (iaomai) you; get up and make your bed.’ Immediately he got up” (Acts 9:34 NASB).

Therapeuo or therapeia (generally there is no strong indication of time, except when deliverance was involved and then it was immediate transformation)

1. Deliverance fell under therapeuo: “Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed (therapeuō) him, so that the mute man spoke and saw” (Matt. 12:22 NASB).
2. Deliverance fell under therapeuo, and faith and fasting are required to be fully effective: "’Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure (therapeuo) him.’ And Jesus answered and said, ‘You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.’ And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured (therapeuo) at once.  (Matt. 17:15-21).
3. Jesus used therapeuo to heal every kind of disease: “And large crowds followed Him, and He healed (therapeuo) them there” (Matt. 19:2 NASB). There is no mention that these were immediate visible healings.
4. Touch is a part of therapeuo: “For He had healed (therapeuo) many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him” (Mk. 3:10 NASB). There is no mention that these were immediate visible healings.
5. “At that very time He cured (therapeuo) many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind” (Lk. 7:21 NASB).
6. Healing was instant, by a command to look at them, and then to participate in the commanded healing action – touch was involved: “But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, ‘Look at us!’ And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, ‘I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!’ And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God” (Act 3:4-8). “And seeing the man who had been healed (therapeuo) standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply” (Acts 4:14 NASB).
7. Deliverance appears to be connected to therapeuo: “For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed (therapeuo)” (Acts 8:7 NASB).

Journaling

Lord, what would You like me to understand about these two key words for healing? What impact does this have on my life and my prayers for healing for myself and for others?