8:1 Afterwards, he traveled around from one town and village to another, proclaiming and preaching about the sanctuary of God. The twelve accompanied him –
8:2 along with some women who had been cured of impure spirits and diseases: Mary called Magdalene – from whom wicked spirits had been cast out –
8:3 Joanna the wife of Herod’s caretaker Chuza; and many others who provided service by whatever means they had.
8:4 Once, after a large crowd gathered – many who had journeyed to him from the various towns – he spoke to them this analogy:
8:5 “A farmer went out to plant his seeds and as he planted, some fell on the side of the road and were trampled on and the birds flew over and ate them up.
8:6 Other seeds fell upon rocks and as soon as they sprouted, they withered because they had no moisture.
8:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns and thornbushes sprouted with them and choked them out.
8:8 Other seeds fell into the good soil and grew tall and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As he spoke these things, he called out, “One who has ears to hear should listen.”
8:9 His students questioned him about the meaning of the analogy.
8:10 So he told them, “You have been granted the knowledge of the mysteries of the sanctuary of God – but to the rest, it is by analogies so that ‘they see but may not perceive, and they hear but may not understand.’1
8:11 Now the analogy is this: The seed is the teachings of God.
8:12 Those on the side of the road are like those who hear but then the wicked one comes and snatches the teachings from their heart so they will not have faith and be rescued.
8:13 Those on the rocks are like those who – when they hear – receive the teachings joyfully but have no firm root. They believe for awhile, but at the moment of temptation fall away.
8:14 The seeds falling among the thorns – these are ones that have heard but as they continue their journey they are choked with worries and wealth and sensual pleasures of this life, and thus bring no fruit to maturity.
8:15 But the seeds in the good soil – these are like those who have heard the teachings with sincerity and a joyful heart, and hold onto them with steadfastness.
8:16 Furthermore, no one covers a lamp after lighting it or stows it under a bed. Rather, he puts it on a lamp stand so those who come inside can see the light.
8:17 For nothing is hiding that will not become apparent. Nor anything secret that will not become known and come to light.
8:18 Therefore, be careful how you listen, because whoever holds fast will be given more, and whoever doesn’t hold fast will have what he thought he had taken away from him.”
8:19 Then his mother and brothers came to meet him but were unable to get close to him because of the crowd.
8:20 It was reported to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.”
8:21 But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the teachings of God and practice them.”
8:22 Not long after, Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat and he told them, “Let’s go to the other shore of the lake.” So they went underway.
8:23 But as they sailed along, he fell asleep and a strong gale of wind came across the water and waves flooded the boat and put them in danger.
8:24 They approached Jesus and woke him up and told him, “Master, Master, we are dying!” So he stood up and rebuked the wind and the waves. They stopped and the sea was calm.
8:25 So he asked them, “Where is your faith?” They were awestruck and amazed, and said to each other, “Who is this who commands even the winds and the waves and they obey him?”
8:26 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite shore from Galilee.
8:27 When Jesus came ashore, he was met by a man from the town. He was possessed by wicked spirits and hadn’t worn clothing for a long time. He didn’t live in a house, but among the tombs.
8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, and in a loud voice said, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Servant of the Most High God. I beg you, do not torment us.”
8:29 He commanded the impure spirit to come out of his body – for it had seized him many times. He was shackled in chains and kept under guard, yet he would still break the shackles and be driven by the demon into the desert.
8:30 Then Jesus asked him, “What’s your name?” He replied, “Legion,” because many demons had entered.
8:31 They begged him not to send them away into the abyss.
8:32 A herd of many pigs were feeding on the hill and the demons begged him to let them enter the pigs. He permitted them.
8:33 Then the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd ran down the embankment into the lake and drowned.
8:34 When the pig herders saw what happened they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside.
8:35 People came to see what happened and approached Jesus. They found the man the demons had left sitting at the feet of Jesus – dressed and of sound mind – and they were awestruck.
8:36 Those who saw it all told them how the man was possessed by demons and had been cured.
8:37 Then everyone within the region of Gerasenes and surrounding areas requested that he leave them – because they were seized with great fear. So he boarded a boat and returned back.
8:38 When the man from whom the demons were exorcised begged him to allow him to follow him, he sent him away, saying –
8:39 “Return to your home and tell them the great things God has done for you.” Thus he left, proclaiming throughout the whole town the great things Jesus had done for him.
8:40 Later when Jesus returned, the people welcomed him – because they had all been waiting for him.
8:41 Then a man arrived, name Jairus. He was a synagogue chief elder. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house.
8:42 For he had an only daughter who was about twelve years old. She was dying. As he departed, the crowds pressed against him.
8:43 Then arrived a woman who had a bleeding disorder for twelve years. No one could cure her.
8:44 She came up from behind him and touched the edge of his cloak and immediately her bleeding stopped.
8:45 Then Jesus said, “Who has touched me?” While everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing up to you.”
8:46 Yet Jesus said, “Someone did touch me because I know that power has gone out of me.”
8:47 Once she realized that she hadn’t evaded being found, she approached him, trembling, and fell down at his feet and proclaimed in front of everyone why she had touched him and how she was immediately healed.
8:48 Then he told her, “Daughter of God,2 your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
8:49 While he spoke, someone came from the house of the synagogue elder and said, “Your daughter has died. Don’t trouble the Teacher anymore.”
8:50 When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Don’t be afraid, just have faith and she will be made well.”
8:51 When he arrived at the house, he didn’t allow anyone to come in with him except Peter, John, James and the girl’s father and mother.
8:52 They all began weeping and lamenting for her. But he told them, “Stop weeping, because she has not died – she is only asleep.”
8:53 They laughed at him, knowing she had died.
8:54 However, he clasped her hand and said loudly, “Child, get up!”
8:55 Then her spirit returned and she got up immediately. He instructed them to give her something to eat.
8:56 Her parents were awestruck. But he told them not to tell anyone what had taken place.
Footnotes:
1. Verse 8:10. Jesus is paraphrasing Isaiah and his conversation with God:
2. Verse 8:48. The Greek word θυγάτηρ (thygatēr) can mean “daughter” or “a daughter of God – acceptable to God, rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection” according to the lexicon. Since the woman was not Jesus’ daughter, we must accept the latter meaning.
8:2 along with some women who had been cured of impure spirits and diseases: Mary called Magdalene – from whom wicked spirits had been cast out –
8:3 Joanna the wife of Herod’s caretaker Chuza; and many others who provided service by whatever means they had.
8:4 Once, after a large crowd gathered – many who had journeyed to him from the various towns – he spoke to them this analogy:
8:5 “A farmer went out to plant his seeds and as he planted, some fell on the side of the road and were trampled on and the birds flew over and ate them up.
8:6 Other seeds fell upon rocks and as soon as they sprouted, they withered because they had no moisture.
8:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns and thornbushes sprouted with them and choked them out.
8:8 Other seeds fell into the good soil and grew tall and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As he spoke these things, he called out, “One who has ears to hear should listen.”
8:9 His students questioned him about the meaning of the analogy.
8:10 So he told them, “You have been granted the knowledge of the mysteries of the sanctuary of God – but to the rest, it is by analogies so that ‘they see but may not perceive, and they hear but may not understand.’1
8:11 Now the analogy is this: The seed is the teachings of God.
8:12 Those on the side of the road are like those who hear but then the wicked one comes and snatches the teachings from their heart so they will not have faith and be rescued.
8:13 Those on the rocks are like those who – when they hear – receive the teachings joyfully but have no firm root. They believe for awhile, but at the moment of temptation fall away.
8:14 The seeds falling among the thorns – these are ones that have heard but as they continue their journey they are choked with worries and wealth and sensual pleasures of this life, and thus bring no fruit to maturity.
8:15 But the seeds in the good soil – these are like those who have heard the teachings with sincerity and a joyful heart, and hold onto them with steadfastness.
8:16 Furthermore, no one covers a lamp after lighting it or stows it under a bed. Rather, he puts it on a lamp stand so those who come inside can see the light.
8:17 For nothing is hiding that will not become apparent. Nor anything secret that will not become known and come to light.
8:18 Therefore, be careful how you listen, because whoever holds fast will be given more, and whoever doesn’t hold fast will have what he thought he had taken away from him.”
8:19 Then his mother and brothers came to meet him but were unable to get close to him because of the crowd.
8:20 It was reported to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.”
8:21 But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the teachings of God and practice them.”
8:22 Not long after, Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat and he told them, “Let’s go to the other shore of the lake.” So they went underway.
8:23 But as they sailed along, he fell asleep and a strong gale of wind came across the water and waves flooded the boat and put them in danger.
8:24 They approached Jesus and woke him up and told him, “Master, Master, we are dying!” So he stood up and rebuked the wind and the waves. They stopped and the sea was calm.
8:25 So he asked them, “Where is your faith?” They were awestruck and amazed, and said to each other, “Who is this who commands even the winds and the waves and they obey him?”
8:26 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite shore from Galilee.
8:27 When Jesus came ashore, he was met by a man from the town. He was possessed by wicked spirits and hadn’t worn clothing for a long time. He didn’t live in a house, but among the tombs.
8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, and in a loud voice said, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Servant of the Most High God. I beg you, do not torment us.”
8:29 He commanded the impure spirit to come out of his body – for it had seized him many times. He was shackled in chains and kept under guard, yet he would still break the shackles and be driven by the demon into the desert.
8:30 Then Jesus asked him, “What’s your name?” He replied, “Legion,” because many demons had entered.
8:31 They begged him not to send them away into the abyss.
8:32 A herd of many pigs were feeding on the hill and the demons begged him to let them enter the pigs. He permitted them.
8:33 Then the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd ran down the embankment into the lake and drowned.
8:34 When the pig herders saw what happened they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside.
8:35 People came to see what happened and approached Jesus. They found the man the demons had left sitting at the feet of Jesus – dressed and of sound mind – and they were awestruck.
8:36 Those who saw it all told them how the man was possessed by demons and had been cured.
8:37 Then everyone within the region of Gerasenes and surrounding areas requested that he leave them – because they were seized with great fear. So he boarded a boat and returned back.
8:38 When the man from whom the demons were exorcised begged him to allow him to follow him, he sent him away, saying –
8:39 “Return to your home and tell them the great things God has done for you.” Thus he left, proclaiming throughout the whole town the great things Jesus had done for him.
8:40 Later when Jesus returned, the people welcomed him – because they had all been waiting for him.
8:41 Then a man arrived, name Jairus. He was a synagogue chief elder. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house.
8:42 For he had an only daughter who was about twelve years old. She was dying. As he departed, the crowds pressed against him.
8:43 Then arrived a woman who had a bleeding disorder for twelve years. No one could cure her.
8:44 She came up from behind him and touched the edge of his cloak and immediately her bleeding stopped.
8:45 Then Jesus said, “Who has touched me?” While everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing up to you.”
8:46 Yet Jesus said, “Someone did touch me because I know that power has gone out of me.”
8:47 Once she realized that she hadn’t evaded being found, she approached him, trembling, and fell down at his feet and proclaimed in front of everyone why she had touched him and how she was immediately healed.
8:48 Then he told her, “Daughter of God,2 your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
8:49 While he spoke, someone came from the house of the synagogue elder and said, “Your daughter has died. Don’t trouble the Teacher anymore.”
8:50 When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Don’t be afraid, just have faith and she will be made well.”
8:51 When he arrived at the house, he didn’t allow anyone to come in with him except Peter, John, James and the girl’s father and mother.
8:52 They all began weeping and lamenting for her. But he told them, “Stop weeping, because she has not died – she is only asleep.”
8:53 They laughed at him, knowing she had died.
8:54 However, he clasped her hand and said loudly, “Child, get up!”
8:55 Then her spirit returned and she got up immediately. He instructed them to give her something to eat.
8:56 Her parents were awestruck. But he told them not to tell anyone what had taken place.
Footnotes:
1. Verse 8:10. Jesus is paraphrasing Isaiah and his conversation with God:
Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" He said, "Go and tell this people: " 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'” (Isaiah 6:8-9)
2. Verse 8:48. The Greek word θυγάτηρ (thygatēr) can mean “daughter” or “a daughter of God – acceptable to God, rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection” according to the lexicon. Since the woman was not Jesus’ daughter, we must accept the latter meaning.
