¹Soon afterwards , he went about through cities and villages , preaching and bringing the good news of God ’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve ,

²and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene , from whom seven demons had gone out ;

³and Joanna , the wife of Chuzas, Herod ’s steward ; Susanna ; and many others who served them from their possessions .[#8:3 TR reads “him” instead of “them”]

⁴When a great multitude came together and people from every city were coming to him , he spoke by a parable :

⁵“ The farmer went out to sow his seed . As he sowed , some fell along the road , and it was trampled under foot , and the birds of the sky devoured it .

⁶Other seed fell on the rock , and as soon as it grew , it withered away , because it had no moisture .

⁷Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it .

⁸Other fell into the good ground and grew and produced one hundred times as much fruit .” As he said these things , he called out , “ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

⁹Then his disciples asked him , “What does this parable mean ?”

¹⁰He said , “ To you it is given to know the mysteries of God ’s Kingdom, but to the rest it is given in parables , that ‘seeing they may not see , and hearing they may not understand .’[#Isaiah 6:9]

¹¹“ Now the parable is this : The seed is the word of God .

¹²Those along the road are those who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart , that they may not believe and be saved .

¹³Those on the rock are they who , when they hear, receive the word with joy ; but these have no root . They believe for a while , then fall away in time of temptation .

¹⁴What fell amongst the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares , riches , and pleasures of life; and they bring no fruit to maturity .

¹⁵Those in the good ground , these are those who with an honest and good heart , having heard the word , hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance .

¹⁶“ No one , when he has lit a lamp , covers it with a container or puts it under a bed ; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light .

¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed , nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light .

¹⁸Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has , to him will be given ; and whoever doesn’t have , from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has .”

¹⁹His mother and brothers came to him , and they could not come near him for the crowd .

²⁰Some people told him , “Your mother and your brothers stand outside , desiring to see you .”

²¹But he answered them , “ My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it .”

²²Now on one of those days , he entered into a boat , himself and his disciples , and he said to them , “ Let ’s go over to the other side of the lake .” So they launched out .

²³But as they sailed , he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake , and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.

²⁴They came to him and awoke him , saying , “Master , Master , we are dying!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water ; then they ceased , and it was calm .[#See Psalms 107:29]

²⁵He said to them , “ Where is your faith ?” Being afraid , they marvelled , saying to one another , “Who is this then , that he commands even the winds and the water , and they obey him ?”

²⁶Then they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee .

²⁷When Jesus stepped ashore , a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him . He wore no clothes , and didn’t live in a house , but in the tombs .

²⁸When he saw Jesus , he cried out and fell down before him , and with a loud voice said , “What do I have to do with you , Jesus , you Son of the Most High God ? I beg you , don’t torment me !”

²⁹For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man . For the unclean spirit had often seized the man . He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters . Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert .

³⁰Jesus asked him , “ What is your name ?”

He said , “Legion ,” for many demons had entered into him .

³¹They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

³²Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain , and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those . Then he allowed them .

³³The demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs , and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

³⁴When those who fed them saw what had happened , they fled and told it in the city and in the country.

³⁵People went out to see what had happened . They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out , sitting at Jesus ’ feet , clothed and in his right mind ; and they were afraid .

³⁶Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed .

³⁷All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them , for they were very much afraid. Then he entered into the boat and returned .

³⁸But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him , but Jesus sent him away , saying ,

³⁹“ Return to your house , and declare what great things God has done for you .” He went his way , proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him .

⁴⁰When Jesus returned , the multitude welcomed him , for they were all waiting for him .

⁴¹Behold , a man named Jairus came . He was a ruler of the synagogue . He fell down at Jesus ’ feet and begged him to come into his house ,

⁴²for he had an only born daughter , about twelve years of age , and she was dying. But as he went , the multitudes pressed against him .[#8:42 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.]

⁴³A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years , who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any ,

⁴⁴came behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak . Immediately the flow of her blood stopped .[#8:44 or, tassel]

⁴⁵Jesus said , “ Who touched me ?”

When all denied it , Peter and those with him said , “Master , the multitudes press and jostle you , and you say , ‘ Who touched me ?’ ”

⁴⁶But Jesus said , “ Someone did touch me , for I perceived that power has gone out of me .”

⁴⁷When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling ; and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him , and how she was healed immediately .

⁴⁸He said to her , “ Daughter , cheer up . Your faith has made you well . Go in peace .”

⁴⁹While he still spoke , one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came , saying to him , “Your daughter is dead . Don’t trouble the Teacher .”

⁵⁰But Jesus hearing it , answered him , “Don’ t be afraid . Only believe , and she will be healed .”

⁵¹When he came to the house , he didn’t allow anyone to enter in , except Peter , John , James , the father of the child , and her mother .

⁵²All were weeping and mourning her , but he said , “Don’ t weep . She isn’ t dead, but sleeping .”

⁵³They were ridiculing him , knowing that she was dead.

⁵⁴But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand , he called , saying , “ Child , arise !”

⁵⁵Her spirit returned , and she rose up immediately . He commanded that something be given to her to eat .

⁵⁶Her parents were amazed , but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done .