1 S oon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,

After this Jesus went to all the cities and towns preaching and telling the Good News about the holy nation of God. The twelve followers were with Him.

2 a nd certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;

Some women who had been healed of demons and diseases were with Him. Mary Magdalene, who had had seven demons put out of her, was one of them.

3 a nd Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.

Joanna, the wife of Chuza who was one of Herod’s helpers, was another one. Susanna and many others also cared for Jesus by using what they had. The Picture-Story of the Man Who Planted Seed

4 W hen a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable.

Many people came together from every town to Jesus. He told them a picture-story.

5 “ The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.

“A man went out to plant seed. As he planted the seed, some fell by the side of the road. It was walked on and birds came and ate it.

6 O ther seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

Some seed fell between rocks. As soon as it started to grow, it dried up because it had no water.

7 O ther fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it.

Some seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seed room to grow.

8 O ther fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Some seed fell on good ground. It grew and gave one hundred times as much grain.” When Jesus had finished saying this, He cried out, “You have ears, then listen!”

9 T hen his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”

His followers asked Him what this picture-story meant.

10 H e said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

Jesus said, “You were given the secrets about the holy nation of God. Others are told picture-stories. As they look, they do not see. As they hear, they do not understand. Jesus Tells about the Man Who Planted Seed

11 N ow the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

“This is what the picture-story means. The seed is the Word of God.

12 T hose along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.

Those by the side of the road hear the Word. Then the devil comes and takes the Word from their hearts. He does not want them to believe and be saved from the punishment of sin.

13 T hose on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.

Those which fell among rocks are those who when they hear the Word receive it with joy. These have no root. For awhile they believe, but when they are tempted they give up.

14 T hat which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Those which fell among thorns hear the Word but go their own way. The cares of this life let the thorns grow. A love for money lets the thorns grow also. And the fun of this life lets the thorns grow. Their grain never becomes full-grown.

15 T hat in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produces fruit with patience.

But those which fell on good ground have heard the Word. They keep it in a good and true heart and they keep on giving good grain. The Picture-Story of the Lamp

16 “ No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.

“No man lights a lamp and puts it under a pail or under a bed. He puts it on a lamp-stand so all who come into the room may see it.

17 F or nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light.

Nothing is secret but what will be known. Anything that is hidden will be brought into the light.

18 B e careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

Be careful how you listen! Whoever has, to him will be given. Whoever does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him.” The New Kind of Family

19 H is mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.

The mother of Jesus and His brothers came to Him. They could not get near Him because of so many people.

20 S ome people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”

Someone said to Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to see You.”

21 B ut he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it.”

Jesus said to them, “My mother and brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it.” The Wind and Waves Obey Jesus

22 N ow on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.

On one of those days Jesus and His followers got into a boat. Jesus said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” Then they pushed out into the water.

23 B ut as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.

As they were going, Jesus fell asleep. A wind storm came over the lake. The boat was filling with water and they were in danger.

24 T hey came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Master, master, we are dying!” He awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and it was calm.

The followers came to awake Jesus. They said, “Teacher! Teacher! We are going to die!” Then Jesus got up and spoke sharp words to the wind and the high waves. The wind stopped blowing and there were no more waves.

25 H e said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this, then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

He said to them, “Where is your faith?” The followers were surprised and afraid. They said to each other, “What kind of a man is He? He speaks to the wind and the waves and they obey Him.” Demons Ask Jesus to Let Them Live in Pigs

26 T hey arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.

They came to the land of the Gadarenes, which is on the other side of the country of Galilee.

27 W hen Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs.

As Jesus stepped out on land, a man met Him who had come from the city. This man had demons in him. For a long time he had worn no clothes. He did not live in a house, but lived among the graves.

28 W hen he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”

When he saw Jesus, he got down before Him and cried with a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High? I beg of You not to hurt me!”

29 F or Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bands apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.

For Jesus had spoken to the demon to come out of the man. Many times the demon had taken hold of him. The man had to be tied with chains. But he would break the chains and be taken by the demon into the desert.

30 J esus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And the demon answered, “Many,” because many demons had gone into him.

31 T hey begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

The demons asked Jesus not to send them to the hole without a bottom in the earth.

32 N ow there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. He allowed them.

There were many pigs feeding on the side of the mountain. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus said they could.

33 T he demons came out of the man, and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned.

The demons came out of the man and went into the pigs. Then the many pigs ran down the side of the mountain into the water and died.

34 W hen those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country.

The men who cared for the pigs ran fast and told what had happened in the town and in the country.

35 P eople went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man from whom the demons had been sent. He was sitting at the feet of Jesus with clothes on and had the right use of his mind. The people were afraid.

36 T hose who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.

Those who had seen it told how the man who had had the demons was healed.

37 A ll the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned.

Then all the people of the country of the Gadarenes begged Jesus to go away from them. They were very much afraid. Jesus got into the boat and went back to the other side.

38 B ut the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,

The man out of whom the demons had gone begged to go with Jesus. But Jesus sent him away and said,

39 “ Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

“Go back to your house and tell everything God has done for you.” He went back and told all the people of the city what great things Jesus had done for him. Two Were Healed through Faith

40 W hen Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.

Many people were glad to see Jesus when He got back. They were waiting for Him.

41 B ehold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged him to come into his house,

A man named Jairus was a leader of the Jewish place of worship. As he came to Jesus, he got down at His feet. He asked Jesus if He would come to his house.

42 f or he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.

He had only one daughter and she was dying. This girl was about twelve years old. As Jesus went, the people pushed Him from every side.

43 A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any,

A woman had been sick for twelve years with a flow of blood. (She had spent all the money she had on doctors.) But she could not be healed by anyone.

44 c ame behind him, and touched the fringe of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped.

She came behind Jesus and touched the bottom of His coat. At once the flow of blood stopped.

45 J esus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” Everyone said that they had not touched Him. Peter said, “Teacher, so many people are pushing You from every side and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”

46 B ut Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.”

Then Jesus said, “Someone touched Me because I know power has gone from Me.”

47 W hen the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

When the woman saw she could not hide it, she came shaking. She got down before Jesus. Then she told Jesus in front of all the people why she had touched Him. She told how she was healed at once.

48 H e said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

49 W hile he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.”

While Jesus was yet talking, a man came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. This man said to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Do not make the Teacher use anymore of His time.”

50 B ut Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.”

Jesus heard it and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid, only believe. She will be made well.”

51 W hen he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother.

Jesus went into the house. He let only Peter and James and John and the father and mother of the girl go in with Him.

52 A ll were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping.”

Everyone was crying and full of sorrow because of her. Jesus said, “Do not cry. She is not dead, but is sleeping.”

53 T hey were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead.

Then they laughed at Jesus because they knew she was dead.

54 B ut he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!”

Jesus sent them all out. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Child, get up!”

55 H er spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.

Her spirit came back and she got up at once. Jesus told them to bring her food.

56 H er parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.

Her parents were surprised and wondered about it. Then Jesus told them they should tell no one what had happened.