Lukas 8

Kvinder, der fulgte med Jesus

1 I den følgende tid fortsatte Jesus sin vandring. Han gik fra by til by og fra landsby til landsby for at forkynde Guds ord og fortælle de gode nyheder om Guds rige. De tolv disciple var med2 og desuden nogle kvinder, som han havde befriet fra onde ånder og helbredt for forskellige sygdomme. Blandt dem var Maria Magdalene, af hvem Jesus havde uddrevet syv dæmoner,

3 Johanna, Susanna og flere andre, som af egne midler sørgede for mad til den lille flok. (Johanna var gift med Huza, der var hofchef hos Herodes.)

Billedet med jordbunden

4 Folk fra alle byerne i nærheden opsøgte Jesus, og en dag, da en stor folkeskare var samlet, fortalte han følgende historie:
5 En landmand gik ud for at så korn på sin mark. Da han strøede sædekornet ud, faldt noget på vejen, hvor det blev trådt ned, og fuglene kom og spiste det.6 Noget af kornet faldt på stengrund. Så snart planterne kom op, visnede de, for der var for lidt væde i jorden.7 Noget af kornet faldt på steder, hvor der også var tidselfrø. Tidslerne voksede op og kvalte de små kornplanter.

8 Men noget af kornet faldt i god jord og gav et udbytte på 100 gange så meget, som der var sået. Da Jesus var færdig med historien, råbte han: Lad dem høre, som har øre.

Guds riges mysterier forklares kun for disciplene

9 Disciplene kom bagefter hen og spurgte Jesus, hvad meningen bag historien var.10 Han svarede: For jer, som følger mig, vil Guds riges mysterier blive forklaret, men de andre må nøjes med at spekulere over billedtalen. Derved opfyldes ordet:
De ser, men fatter dog intet.
De hører, men forstår dog intet. t

Jesus forklarer billedet med jordbunden

11 Lad mig forklare jer billedtalens betydning: Kornet, der blev sået, er et billede på Guds ord.12 Nogle mennesker er som vejen. De hører godt nok Guds ord, men Djævelen kommer og piller de ord væk, som blev sået i deres hjerter, for at de ikke skal komme til tro og få det evige liv.13 Nogle er som stengrunden. Når de hører Guds ord, tager de imod det med glæde. Men de lader ikke ordet slå rod, så det varer kun en tid. Når modgangen kommer, giver de op og falder fra.14 Nogle er som jorden med tidselfrø. De hører godt nok ordet, men de daglige bekymringer og jagten på materielle goder kvæler ordet, så der ingen frugt bliver.

15 Men nogle er som den gode jord. De hører ordet og gemmer det i et fint og godt hjerte. De holder ud gennem modgang, og derfor bærer det frugt i deres liv.

Guds lys åbenbarer og forpligter

16 Jesus fortsatte: Ingen kunne finde på at tænde en lampe og stille den under en spand eller ind under sengen. Nej, man stiller en lampe højt og frit, så de, der kommer ind, får glæde af lyset.

17 Det, som er skjult, vil komme frem, så man kan se det. Og det, som er hemmeligt, vil komme ud i lyset og blive kendt.

18 Læg derfor godt mærke til, hvad I hører. De, der gør brug af det, de har fået betroet, vil få endnu mere. Men de, der ikke bruger det, de har fået betroet, vil miste det, de troede, de havde.

De, der gør Guds vilje, hører Jesus til

19 Engang da Jesu mor og brødre kom for at tale med ham, kunne de ikke komme ind i huset på grund af de mange mennesker.20 Din mor og dine brødre står udenfor og vil tale med dig, sagde man til ham.

21 Jesus svarede: Min mor og mine brødre - det er alle dem, der hører Guds ord og handler på det.

Jesus byder over blæst og bølger

22 En dag gik Jesus sammen med disciplene om bord i en båd, og han sagde til dem: Lad os sejle over til den anden side af søen.23 De lagde da fra land, og mens de sejlede, faldt Jesus i søvn. Pludselig kom et voldsomt stormvejr hen over søen, og båden tog en masse vand ind, så de kom i livsfare.24 Disciplene gik hen og vækkede Jesus. Mester, mester, vi drukner! råbte de. Da rejste han sig og befalede stormen og bølgerne at lægge sig, og det blev blikstille.25 Derpå vendte han sig til disciplene og spurgte: Hvor er jeres tro?
Med ærefrygt og undren i stemmen sagde de til hinanden: Hvem er den mand egentlig? Selv stormen og bølgerne adlyder ham!

Jesus sætter en ikke-jøde fri fra dæmonernes magt

26 De sejlede nu videre ind imod gadarenernes egn, som ligger over for Galilæa.27 Da Jesus steg i land, kom en mand fra landsbyen løbende hen imod ham. Han var besat af onde ånder, og i lang tid havde han flakket hjemløs om uden tøj på. Han holdt til i klippehulerne, hvor man begravede de døde.

28-29 Han faldt nu på knæ foran Jesus, og Jesus befalede den onde ånd at fare ud af ham. Men han skreg op: Lad mig være i fred, Jesus, du den almægtige Guds Søn! Jeg beder dig om ikke at pine mig! Mange gange havde ånden slæbt af sted med den stakkels mand. Man havde lænket ham med jernkæder på hænder og fødder og holdt ham bevogtet, men hver gang havde han revet sig løs og var af den onde ånd blevet drevet ud i ødemarken.

30 Hvad er dit navn? spurgte Jesus.
31 De begyndte nu at bønfalde Jesus om ikke at jage dem ned i afgrundens mørke.32 Der gik en flok svin og rodede efter føde på toppen af en skrænt i nærheden, og dæmonerne bad om lov til at fare i svinene. I samme øjeblik Jesus gav dem lov,

33 fór de ud af manden og ind i svinene, og hele svineflokken styrtede ned ad skrænten og ud i søen, hvor de druknede.
34 Da svinehyrderne så det, flygtede de, og de fortalte om det i by og på land.35 Snart var en strøm af mennesker på vej ud for at se, hvad der var sket. Da de nåede derhen, fik de øje på manden, der havde været besat af onde ånder. Han sad nu roligt, påklædt og fuldstændig normal ved Jesu fødder. Det forbløffede dem og gjorde dem bange.36 De, der havde set, hvordan den besatte var blevet reddet, forklarede, hvordan det var sket.

37 Derefter bad alle folk der fra egnen Jesus om at forlade deres område, for de var bange for, hvad han ellers kunne finde på at gøre.
38 Manden, der havde været besat af onde ånder, bad om at få lov til at følge med, men Jesus sagde:

39 Gå tilbage til din familie og fortæl, hvor stort et under, Gud har gjort for dig. Manden gik da hjem og fortalte over hele byen om det forunderlige, Jesus havde gjort.

Ved tro bliver en kvinde helbredt og en pige oprejst fra de døde

40 Da Jesus nåede tilbage over søen, tog folkeskaren imod ham med åbne arme, for de havde ventet ham med længsel.41 En synagogeforstander ved navn Jairus nærmede sig, knælede ned foran ham og bad ham følge med hjem,42 for hans eneste datter lå for døden. Hun var 12 år gammel.
Mens Jesus fulgte med ham, masede mængden sig ind på ham fra alle sider.43 Nu var der en kvinde, som havde lidt af blødninger i 12 år, uden at nogen havde kunnet helbrede hende, selv om hun havde brugt alle sine penge på lægehjælp.

44 Hun nærmede sig bagfra og rørte ved kvasten på hans bedesjal. Straks standsede blødningen.
45 Hvem var det, der rørte ved mig? spurgte Jesus.
Da ingen meldte sig, sagde Peter: Mester, folk maser jo ind på dig fra alle sider.

46 Der var en, der rørte ved mig, insisterede Jesus, for jeg kunne mærke en kraft forlade mig.

47 Kvinden indså nu, at Jesus var klar over, hvad der var sket. Skælvende kom hun frem og faldt på knæ foran ham, og i hele mængdens påhør fortalte hun, hvorfor hun havde rørt ved ham, og at hun nu var rask.

48 Jesus sagde da til hende: Min ven, det er din tro, der har reddett dig! Fred være med dig!
49 Mens han endnu talte, kom en mand med besked til Jairus fra hans hjem: Din datter er død. Du behøver ikke ulejlige mesteren mere.

50 Da Jesus hørte det, sagde han til Jairus: Vær ikke bange! Tro på mig, så vil hun blive reddet!
51 Da de nåede frem til huset, ville Jesus kun have Peter, Johannes, Jakob og den lille piges forældre med ind i det værelse, hvor hun lå.52 Huset var fyldt med grædende og jamrende mennesker. Lad være med at græde, sagde Jesus. Hun er ikke død. Hun sover bare.53 Men de lo overbærende, for de vidste godt, at hun var død.54 Jesus gik hen og tog pigen i hånden. Stå op, lille pige! kaldte han.55 Da vendte hendes ånd tilbage, og hun stod straks op. Så sagde Jesus, at de skulle give hende noget at spise.

56 Forældrene var ude af sig selv af undren, men Jesus sagde, at de ikke måtte fortælle nogen, hvad der var sket.

Luke 8

Jesus’ Ministry and the Help of Women

1 Some timet afterwardt he went on through townst and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good newss of the kingdom of God.s Thet twelve were with him,2 and also some womens who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities:t Marys (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out,

3 and Joanna the wife of Cuzas (Herod’ss household manager),t Susanna, and many others who provided for thems out of their own resources.

The Parable of the Sower

4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesust from one town after another,t he spoke to themt in a parable:5 “A sower went out to sows his seed.t And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birdst devoured it.6 Other seed fell on rock,s and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture.7 Other seed fell among the thorns,s and they grew up with it and chokeds it.

8 Butt other seed fell on good soil and grew,t and it produced a hundred times as much grain.”s As he said this,t he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”t
9 Thent his disciples asked him what this parable meant.t

10 Het said, “You have been givent the opportunity to knowt the secretsts of the kingdom of God,s but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.s
11 “Now the parable meanst this: The seed is the word of God.12 Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devils comes and takes away the words from their hearts, so that they may not believet and be saved.13 Thoset on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while,s butt in a time of testingt fall away.s14 As for the seed thatt fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, butt as they go on their way they are chokeds by the worries and riches and pleasures of life,s and their fruit does not mature.t

15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearingt the word, cling to its with an honest and goods heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.s

Showing the Light

16 “No one lightst a lamps and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light.t17 For nothing is hiddens that will not be revealed,t and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.

18 So listen carefully,t for whoever has will be given more, butt whoever does not have, even what he thinks he hass will be taken from him.”

Jesus’ True Family

19 Now Jesus’t mother and his brotherss came to him, butt they could not get near him because of the crowd.20 Sot he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

21 But he repliedt to them, “My mother and my brothers are thoset who hear the word of God and do it.”s

Stilling of a Storm

22 Onet day Jesust got into a boats with his disciples and said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” Sot they set out,23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstormt came down on the lake,s and the boatt started filling up with water, and they were in danger.24 Theyt camet and woke him, saying, “Master, Master,t we are about to die!” Sot he got up and rebukedt the wind and the raging waves;s they died down, and it was calm.

25 Thent he said to them, “Where is your faith?”s But they were afraid and amazed,s saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water,s and they obey him!”

Healing of a Demoniac

26 Sot they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes,ss which is opposites Galilee.27 Ast Jesust stepped ashore,t a certain man from the townt met him who was possessed by demons.t For a long time this mant had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but amongt the tombs.28 When he sawt Jesus, he cried out, fellt down before him, and shouted with a loud voice, “Leave me alone,t Jesus, Son of the Most Highs God! I beg you, do not torments me!”29 For Jesust had started commandings the evilt spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, sot he would be bound with chains and shacklest and kept under guard. Butt he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into desertedt places.)s30 Jesus thent asked him, “What is your name?” Het said, “Legion,”s because many demons had entered him.31 And they began to begt him not to ordert them to depart into the abyss.t32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,t and the demonic spiritst begged Jesust to let them go into them. He gave them permission.s33 Sot the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigst rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.34 Whent the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and spread the newst in the townt and countryside.35 Sot the people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus. Theyt found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.36 Thoset who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed.t37 Thent all the people of the Gerasenesss and the surrounding regiont asked Jesust to leave them alone,t for they were seized with great fear.s Sot he got into the boat and left.t38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to got with him, but Jesust sent him away, saying,

39 “Return to your home,t and declaret what God has done for you.”s Sot he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole townt what Jesuss had done for him.

Restoration and Healing

40 Now when Jesus returned,ts the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him.41 Thent a man named Jairus, who was a rulert of the synagogue,s came up. Fallingt at Jesus’ feet, he pleadedt with him to come to his house,

42 because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.t
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds presseds around him.43 Nowt a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhaget for twelve yearss but could not be healed by anyone.44 Shet came up behind Jesust and touched the edges of his cloak,t and at once the bleedingts stopped.45 Thent Jesus asked,t “Who was it who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peters said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressings against you!”46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone outt from me.”47 Whent the woman saw that she could not escape notice,t she came trembling and fell down before him. Int the presence of all the people, she explained whyt she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.

48 Thent he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.t Go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the synagogue ruler’st house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.”50 But when Jesus heard this, he toldt him, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”t51 Now when he came to the house, Jesust did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John,t and James, and the child’s father and mother.52 Now they were alls wailing and mourningt for her, but he said, “Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”53 And they began making funt of him, because they knewt that she was dead.t54 But Jesust gently took her by the hand and said,t “Child, get up.”55 Hert spirit returned,s and she got up immediately. Thent he told them to give her something to eat.

56 Hert parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no ones what had happened.