Luke 8
1Afterward he traveled through towns and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2as were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and illnesses: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, Susanna, and many others, who provided for them from their own resources.
4As a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he spoke through a parable: 5“The sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it. 6Some fell on the rock, and when it sprouted it withered because it had no moisture. 7Some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8Some fell into good soil, and when it grew it bore fruit a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!”
9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it comes in parables, so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. 11This is the parable: the seed is the word of God. 12Those beside the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it. They have no root; they believe for a time, and in a time of testing they fall away. 14What fell among the thorns represents those who have heard, but as they go on they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15What is in the good soil represents those who hear the word with a noble and good heart, hold it fast, and bear fruit with endurance.
16“No one lights a lamp and covers it with a container or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 17For nothing is hidden that will not become visible, nor is anything concealed that will not be known and come into the open. 18So watch how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”
19His mother and brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
22One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” They set sail. 23As they sailed, he fell asleep. A windstorm came down onto the lake, and their boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. 24They came and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the surging water. They stopped, and there was calm. 25He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Afraid and amazed, they said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”
26They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27As he stepped onto the land, a man from the town who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothing, and he did not live in a house but among the tombs. 28Seeing Jesus, he cried out, fell before him, and said in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!” 29For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. It had seized him many times; he would be bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into deserted places. 30Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31They begged him not to order them to go away into the abyss. 32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter those pigs. He let them. 33The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.
34When the herders saw what had happened, they fled and reported it in the town and countryside. 35People went out to see what had happened and came to Jesus. They found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who had been afflicted by demons was saved. 37The whole multitude from the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked him to leave them, because they were gripped by great fear. He got into a boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39“Return to your house and tell what God has done for you.” He went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town what Jesus had done for him.
40When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41And look: a man named Jairus came, a ruler of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house, 42because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went, the crowds pressed around him. 43A woman who had suffered a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent her whole livelihood on physicians could not be healed by anyone. 44She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing against you.” 46But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I knew that power had gone out from me.” 47When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell before him. In front of all the people she told why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
49While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue ruler's house and said, “Your daughter has died. Do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 50But Jesus heard and answered him, “Do not be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.” 51When he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the girl's father and mother. 52They were all weeping and beating their breasts for her. He said, “Do not weep, for she has not died but is sleeping.” 53They laughed at him, knowing that she had died. 54But he took her hand and called out, “Child, rise!” 55Her spirit returned, and she got up immediately. He ordered that she be given something to eat. 56Her parents were amazed, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.