1 Soon after this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, announcing and proclaiming the gospel about the Kingdom of God. With him were the Twelve, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary, called Magdalene (from out of whom there had come seven demons), 3 Joanna (the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager), Susanna, and many others. These women were providing for the needs of Jesus and his disciples out of their own means.

4 Now as a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town after town, he spoke using a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. While he was sowing, some seed fell along the path and was trampled on, and so the wild birds ate it up. 6 Other seed fell on the hard bedrock, and when it came up, it dried up because it didn’t have any moisture. 7 Other seed fell among plants with thorns, and as the plants with thorns grew up with it, they choked the life out of it. 8 Other seed fell on good ground, and when it came up, it produced a harvest, a hundred times what was sown.” As he said these things, he called out, “If you have ears to hear, then listen carefully and pay close attention!”

9 His disciples asked Jesus what it was that this parable meant.

10 “To ᵖyou,” he replied, “has been entrusted understanding of the mysteries concerning the Kingdom of God. To the rest, however, I speak in parables, so that

11 “This is what the parable means: The seed represents the message from God. 12 As for the seeds sown along the path, they represent those who hear, but then the devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts, to keep them from putting their faith in it and being saved. 13 The seeds that fell on the hard bedrock, meanwhile, represent those who, when they hear the message, accept it with joy. In these people, however, the message doesn’t take deep enough root. They have faith only for a time; when a time of testing comes, they fall away. 14 As for the seed that fell here—among the plants with thorns—these represent those who hear, but then, as they go on their way, keep getting choked out by these things: Worries and riches and the enjoyments of everyday life. And so they don’t produce any ripe and mature fruit. 15 But as for the seed that fell on the good ground, these represent those who, after listening to the message with indeed a heart that is noble and good, keep holding fast to it and bear fruit by patiently enduring.”

16 “No one, after lighting a lamp, hides it under a jar or places it here: Under a bed. No, the lampstand is where he places it, so that those who are coming in can see the light. 17 There isn’t anything hidden that will not be disclosed, you see, nor is there anything concealed that will not be made known and eventually come out into the open. 18 Make sure, therefore, that you listen carefully and pay close attention. If someone is responsive and attentive and trustworthy with little, you see, further understanding will be entrusted to him. If someone is dull and stubborn and unwilling to listen, however, then even the little understanding he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get near him because of the crowd. 20 He was told, “It’s your mother and your brothers! They’re standing outside and wish to see you.”

21 “My mother and my brothers,” Jesus replied, “are these: Those who hear and obey the word of God.”

22 One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. 23 Now as they were sailing along, Jesus fell asleep. Suddenly a windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling up with water and they were in great danger.

24 The disciples went to Jesus and woke him up. “Master! Master!” they said. “We’re about die!”

Jesus got up and issued a stern command to the wind and the raging waves; they died down, and things became calm.

25 “Where is ᵖyour faith?” he asked them.

The disciples were overcome with fear and awe. “ Who then is this man?” they said to one another. “He gives orders even to the winds and the waves, and they obey him!”

26 They sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a certain man from the town who had demons. For a long time this man had not worn any clothes, and he lived not in a house, but among the burial caves. 28 When he saw Jesus, he screamed and threw himself down at his feet. “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” he said with a very loud voice. “I beg you, don’t have me punished!” 29 (He said this because Jesus had already begun ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. The spirit had seized the man many, many times, and though the man had been tied up with chains and shackles and kept under guard, he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into the wilds.)

30 “What is ˢyour name?” Jesus asked him.

“Legion,” he replied—because many demons had gone into him.31 And the demons pleaded with Jesus again and again not to banish them to the Abyss.

32 Now there was in that place a large herd of pigs, feeding on the hillside. The demons pleaded with Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 So, the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and told the story in the town and in the countryside. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out just sitting there, clothed and in his right mind at Jesus’ feet, and they were afraid. 36 Meanwhile, those who had seen the events told the others how the man with demons had been delivered. 37 All the people of the Gerasene region asked Jesus to leave them, because they were absolutely terrified. Jesus, then, got into the boat and started back. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out kept begging Jesus to let him go with him. But Jesus sent him on his way, saying, 39 “Go back home and tell people all that God has done for ˢyou.” So the man left, proclaiming what Jesus had done for him throughout the whole town.

40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him. 41 Suddenly a man named Jairus arrived. This man was a leader of the synagogue. Throwing himself down at Jesus’ feet, he kept pleading with him to come to his house, 42 because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying.

While Jesus was on his way, with the crowds, meanwhile, nearly crushing him,43 there came a certain woman, who had been suffering from abnormal bleeding for twelve years,+ whom no one had been able to heal. 44 She came up from behind and touched the blue-threaded tassel of twisted cords on Jesus’ cloak, and her bleeding stopped instantly.

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

While everyone was denying it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are all around you and are pressing up against you!”

46 “Someone touched me,” said Jesus, “for I felt power go out from me.”

47 When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Throwing herself down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why it was that she had touched him, and how she had been healed instantly.

48 “Daughter,” Jesus said to her, “this faith of yours has healed you. Go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, someone arrived from the synagogue leader’s house. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “There is no need now to bother the teacher.”

50 Jesus, however, when he heard this, said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be saved.”

51 When Jesus arrived at the house, he didn’t let anyone go in with him, except these: Peter and John and James and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people there were weeping and beating their chests in mourning for the child. “Stop ᵖyour weeping,” Jesus said. “She isn’t dead, but only asleep.” 53 And they started laughing at him, because they knew that the girl was dead. 54 Jesus, however, taking the child by the hand, called out, “Child, wake up!” 55 And the girl’s spirit returned and she got up at once! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 The girl’s parents were in awe, yet Jesus instructed them not to tell anyone what had happened.