Luke 8

Women who followed Jesus

1 Soon afterward, Jesus traveled through the cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom. The Twelve were with him,2 along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. Among them were Mary Magdalene (from whom seven demons had been thrown out),

3 Joanna (the wife of Herod’s servant Chuza), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

Parable of the soils

4 When a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one city after another, he spoke to them in a parable:5 "A farmer went out to scatter his seed. As he was scattering it, some fell on the path where it was crushed, and the birds in the sky came and ate it.6 Other seed fell on rock. As it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture.7 Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorns grew with the plants and choked them.

8 Still other seed landed on good soil. When it grew, it produced one hundred times more grain than was scattered." As he said this, he called out, "Everyone who has ears should pay attention."
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

10 He said, “You have been given the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but these mysteries come to everyone else in parables so that when they see, they can’t see, and when they hear, they can’t understand .t
11 “The parable means this: the seed is God’s word.12 The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won’t believe and be saved.13 The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted.14 As for the seed that fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures.

15 The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.

Sharing the light

16 "No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand so that those who enter can see the light.17 Nothing is hidden that won’t be exposed. Nor is anything concealed that won’t be made known and brought to the light.

18 Therefore, listen carefully. Those who have will receive more, but as for those who don’t have, even what they seem to have will be taken away from them."

Jesus’ family

19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him but were unable to reach him because of the crowd.

20 Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you."

21 He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who listen to God’s word and do it."

Jesus calms the sea

22 One day Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat. He said to them, "Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake." So they set sail.
23 While they were sailing, he fell asleep. Gale-force winds swept down on the lake. The boat was filling up with water and they were in danger.

24 So they went and woke Jesus, shouting "Master, Master, we’re going to drown!" But he got up and gave orders to the wind and the violent waves. The storm died down and it was calm.

25 He said to his disciples, "Where is your faith?"
Filled with awe and wonder, they said to each other, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"

Jesus frees a demon-possessed man

26 Jesus and his disciples sailed to the Gerasenes’ land, which is across the lake from Galilee.27 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a certain man met him. The man was from the city and was possessed by demons. For a long time, he had lived among the tombs, naked and homeless.28 When he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down before him. Then he shouted, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!"

29 He said this because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had taken possession of him, so he would be bound with leg irons and chains and placed under guard. But he would break his restraints, and the demon would force him into the wilderness.

30 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"Legion," he replied, because many demons had entered him.31 They pleaded with him not to order them to go back into the abyss.t32 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission,

33 and the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who tended the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and told the story in the city and in the countryside.35 People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully dressed and completely sane. They were filled with awe.36 Those people who had actually seen what had happened told them how the demon-possessed man had been delivered.37 Then everyone gathered from the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave their area because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and returned across the lake.38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged to come along with Jesus as one of his disciples. Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 "Return home and tell the story of what God has done for you." So he went throughout the city proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.

Jesus heals two women

40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they had been waiting for him.41 A man named Jairus, who was a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his house

42 because his only daughter, a twelve-year-old, was dying.
As Jesus moved forward, he faced smothering crowds.43 A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent her entire livelihood on doctors, but no one could heal her.

44 She came up behind him and touched the hem of his clothes, and at once her bleeding stopped.

45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
When everyone denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you!"

46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me."

47 When the woman saw that she couldn’t escape notice, she came trembling and fell before Jesus. In front of everyone, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.

48 "Daughter, your faith has healed you," Jesus said. "Go in peace."

49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying to Jairus, "Your daughter has died. Don’t bother the teacher any longer."

50 When Jesus heard this, he responded, "Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting, and she will be healed."
51 When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother.

52 They were all crying and mourning for her, but Jesus said, "Don’t cry. She isn’t dead. She’s only sleeping."

53 They laughed at him because they knew she was dead.
54 Taking her hand, Jesus called out, "Child, get up."55 Her life returned and she got up at once. He directed them to give her something to eat.

56 Her parents were beside themselves with joy, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.

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.