1 SHORTLY afterwards he was making his way through cities and villages preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,
2 and certain women who had been relieved of evil spirits and infirmities \'97 Mary, who was called Magdalene, out of whom seven demons had gone,
3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod's manager, and Susanna, and many others. These women provided for Jesus and his apostles out of their means.
4 When a great multitude was coming together and some from every city were crowding upon him, he spoke to them with an illustration:
5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the roadside and was trodden on, and the birds of heaven ate it up.
6 Other seed fell on the rock, and when it sprang up it withered away because it had no moisture.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.
8 Other seed fell into the good ground, and grew up and yielded a harvest a hundred fold." When he said this, he called out, "Let him who has ears to hear, hear."
9 His disciples kept asking him what the illustration meant.
10 He said: "To you it is granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But to the rest the message comes in figures of speech, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.
11 This is the illustration: The seed is the message of God.
12 Those by the roadside are those who hear, and then the Devil comes and takes away the message from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 Those on the rock are those who, though they receive the message with joy, yet have no root, who for a while believe, but in the time of trial desert.
14 That which fell among thorns means those who hear, and as they go on are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life and bring nothing to completion.
15 That in the good ground means those who with a noble and good heart hear the message and hold it fast and bear fruit in patience.
16 "No one lights a lamp and hides it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. No, he puts it on a stand so that all who come in may see the light.
17 For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest, nor secret which will not be known and come to light.
18 Be careful, then, how you hear; for whoever has, to him will be given, and whoever has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away from him."
19 His mother and his brothers came where he was, but could not get to him on account of the crowd.
20 It was told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wishing to see you."
21 He answered, "My mother and my brothers are these who are hearing the word of God and doing it."
22 It happened one day that he got into a boat, and his disciples went with him. He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." They put out.
23 While they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale of wind came down on the lake and the boat was filling and in peril.
24 Coming to him, they awoke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are going down!" He awoke and rebuked the wind and the waves. They grew quiet and there was a calm.
25 He said to the disciples, "Where is your faith?" They were awed and amazed, and said to one another, "Who then is this man who commands the winds and the water and they obey him?"
26 They sailed to the land of the Gerasenes, which is across from Galilee.
27 When he got out on to the land, there met him a certain man from that city who had demons. For a long time he had not worn clothes and had not lived in a house, but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he screamed and fell down before him, and in a loud voice said, "What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I pray you, do not torment me."
29 For he had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and, though he was bound with chains and fetters and kept under guard, yet bursting his chains he would be driven by the demon off into the wilds.
30 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion," for many demons had entered into him.
31 They begged him not to bid them go away into the abyss.
32 There was near by a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain. The demons begged him to permit them to go into the swine. He gave them leave.
33 The demons left the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34 The herdsmen, seeing what had happened, fled and told it in the city and on the farms.
35 The people came out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were struck with awe.
36 Those who had seen it told them how the demoniac had been cured.
37 Whereupon all the crowd from the region of the Gerasenes asked him to go away from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into a boat and returned.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged him to let him be with him. But he sent him away, saying,
39 "Return to your home and tell how much God has done for you." He went through the whole city proclaiming how much Jesus had done for him.
40 As Jesus came back, a crowd welcomed him, for all were expecting him.
41 There came a man by the name of Jairus \'97 he was a synagogue director. Falling at the feet of Jesus, he begged him to come to his house
42 because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. As he was going the crowds pressed around him.
43 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be cured by any one,
44 came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak. At once her hemorrhage ceased.
45 Jesus said, "Who is it that touched me?" All denied, and Peter said, "Master, the crowd is pressing upon you on every side."
46 Jesus said, "Some one touched me, for I know that power has gone forth from me."
47 The woman, seeing that she had not escaped notice, came trembling and fell before him, and told before all the people why she had touched him and how she was instantly cured.
48 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
49 While he was still speaking some one came from the Director's house, saying, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the teacher any longer."
50 Jesus heard it and said to him, "Never fear. Only believe and she will be saved."
51 When he came to the house, he did not permit any one to enter with him except Peter and John and James and the father of the child and her mother.
52 All were weeping and wailing for her. He said, "Do not weep. She is not dead, but asleep."
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But he took hold of her hand and said to her, "Little girl, rise up."
55 Her spirit returned and at once she stood up. He told them to give her something to eat.
56 Her parents were amazed, but he told them not to tell any one of what had happened.