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.

LUKE 8

Women Who Helped Jesus

1 Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him, 2 t and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene, t who once had seven demons in her.

3 Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesust and his disciples. Joanna's husband Chuza was one of Herod's officials.t

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.1-9; Mark 4.1-9)

4 When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:
5 A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was doing this, some of the seeds fell along the road and were stepped on or eaten by birds. 6 Other seeds fell on rocky ground and started growing. But the plants did not have enough water and soon dried up. 7 Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants.

8 The rest of the seeds fell on good ground where they grew and produced a hundred times as many seeds.
When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, “If you have ears, pay attention!”

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Mark 4.10-12)

10 t So he answered:
I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you. But for others I use stories, so they will look, but not see, and they will hear, but not understand.

Jesus Explains the Story //about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.18-23; Mark 4.13-20)

13 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don't have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.
14 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they are so eager for riches and pleasures that they never produce anything.

15 Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.

Light

(Mark 4.21-25)

18 t Pay attention to how you listen! Everyone who has something will be given more, but people who have nothing will lose what little they think they have.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12.46-50; Mark 3.31-35)

20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.”

21 Jesus answered, “My mother and my brothers are those people who hear and obey God's message.”

A Storm

(Matthew 8.23-27; Mark 4.35-41)

23 and while they were sailing across, he went to sleep.
Suddenly a storm struck the lake, and the boat started sinking. They were in danger.

24 So they went to Jesus and woke him up, “Master, Master! We are about to drown!”
Jesus got up and ordered the wind and waves to stop. They obeyed, and everything was calm.

25 Then Jesus asked the disciples, “Don't you have any faith?”
But they were frightened and amazed. They said to each other, “Who is this? He can give orders to the wind and the waves, and they obey him!”

A Man with Demons in Him

(Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20)

27 As Jesus was getting out of the boat, he was met by a man from this town. The man had demons in him. He had gone naked for a long time and no longer lived in a house, but in the graveyard.t
28 The man saw Jesus and screamed. He knelt down in front of him and shouted, “Jesus, Son of God Most High, what do you want with me? I beg you not to torture me!”

29 He said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to go out of him.
The man had often been attacked by the demon. And even though he had been bound with chains and leg irons and kept under guard, he smashed whatever bound him. Then the demon would force him out into lonely places.

30 Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?”
He answered, “My name is Lots.” He said this because there were “lots” of demons in him.

31 They begged Jesus not to send them to the deep pit, t where they would be punished.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and Jesus let them go.

33 Then the demons left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
34 When the men taking care of the pigs saw this, they ran to spread the news in the town and on the farms.

35 The people went out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they also found the man. The demons had gone out of him, and he was sitting there at the feet of Jesus. He had clothes on and was in his right mind. But the people were terrified.
36 Then all who had seen the man healed told about it.

37 Everyone from around Gerasat begged Jesus to leave, because they were so frightened.
When Jesus got into the boat to start back, 38 the man who had been healed begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him off and said,

39 “Go back home and tell everyone how much God has done for you.” The man then went all over town, telling everything that Jesus had done for him.

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Matthew 9.18-26; Mark 5.21-43)

42 because his twelve-year-old child was dying. She was his only daughter.
While Jesus was on his way, people were crowding all around him.

43 In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on doctors, t but none of them could make her well.

44 As soon as she came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes, her bleeding stopped.

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
While everyone was denying it, Peter said, “Master, people are crowding all around and pushing you from every side.”t
46 But Jesus answered, “Someone touched me, because I felt power going out from me.”

47 The woman knew that she could not hide, so she came trembling and knelt down in front of Jesus. She told everyone why she had touched him and that she had been healed at once.

48 Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace!”

49 While Jesus was speaking, someone came from Jairus' home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?”

50 When Jesus heard this, he told Jairus, “Don't worry! Have faith, and your daughter will get well.”
51 Jesus went into the house, but he did not let anyone else go with him, except Peter, John, James, and the girl's father and mother. 52 Everyone was crying and weeping for the girl. But Jesus said, “The child isn't dead. She is just asleep.”

53 The people laughed at him because they knew she was dead.
54 Jesus took hold of the girl's hand and said, “Child, get up!” 55 She came back to life and got right up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were surprised, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.