Legion
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and nobody could bind him any more, not even with a chain. He'd often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. Nobody was strong enough to hold him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he'd cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name, don't torture me.” Because Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit.” And Jesus asked him, “What's your name?” “My name is Legion,” he said, “because there are a lot of us.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. And the demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs. Let us go into them.” He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand of them, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
This man lived in the tombs, and nobody could bind him any more, not even with a chain.
He'd often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. Nobody was strong enough to hold him.
Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he'd cry out and cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name, don't torture me.”
Because Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit.”
And Jesus asked him, “What's your name?” “My name is Legion,” he said, “because there are a lot of us.”
And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.
And the demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs. Let us go into them.”
He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand of them, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
Go home to your family
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported it in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who'd been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who'd seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs as well. And they began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who'd been possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus wouldn't let him. “Go home to your family,” he said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he's had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported it in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who'd been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Those who'd seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs as well.
And they began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who'd been possessed begged to go with him.
But Jesus wouldn't let him. “Go home to your family,” he said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he's had mercy on you.”
So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Jairus
When Jesus had crossed back over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, called Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus he fell at his feet. He begged him again and again, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her, so she'll be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed round him.
When Jesus had crossed back over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake.
Then one of the synagogue leaders, called Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus he fell at his feet.
He begged him again and again, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her, so she'll be healed and live.”
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed round him.
Twelve years
And a woman was there who'd been bleeding for twelve years. She'd suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of getting better she'd got worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I'll be healed.” And straight away her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was free of it. At once Jesus knew that power had gone out from him. He turned round in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” “You can see the people crowding against you,” his disciples said, “and you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” But Jesus kept looking round to see who'd done it. And the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace, and be free of your suffering.”
And a woman was there who'd been bleeding for twelve years.
She'd suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of getting better she'd got worse.
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I'll be healed.”
And straight away her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was free of it.
At once Jesus knew that power had gone out from him. He turned round in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
“You can see the people crowding against you,” his disciples said, “and you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
But Jesus kept looking round to see who'd done it.
And the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.
And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace, and be free of your suffering.”
Talitha koum
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don't be afraid. Just believe.” He didn't let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and crying? The child isn't dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After he put them all outside, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum” — which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” And straight away the girl stood up and began to walk about. She was twelve years old. And they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”
Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don't be afraid. Just believe.”
He didn't let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and crying? The child isn't dead but asleep.”
But they laughed at him. After he put them all outside, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.
He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum” — which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”
And straight away the girl stood up and began to walk about. She was twelve years old. And they were completely astonished.
He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.