Luke 8

Women Supporting Jesus

1 Soon after, Jesus went through towns and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him,

2 along with some women who had been healed from evil spirits and sickness, Mary called Magdalene, who had seven demons come out of her,

3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s manager, Susanna, and many others. They were supporting them out of their own resources.

The Parable of the Sower

4 A large crowd gathered, with people coming from town after town, and Jesus spoke to them in a parable:

5 “A farmer went out to plant seed. As he was planting, some fell along the path, got stepped on, and birds ate it up.

6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture.

7 Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it out.

8 But some fell on good soil, grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times what was planted.” Then He said, “If you got ears to hear, hear.”

The Purpose of Parables

9 His disciples asked Him what the parable meant.

10 He said, “You have been given insight into the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but for others, it comes in parables, so they see but do not really see, and hear but do not understand.”

The Parable of the Sower Explained

11 “This is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God.

12 The ones along the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and takes the word from their hearts so they will not believe and be saved.

13 The ones on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but when testing comes, they fall away.

14 The ones among thorns are those who hear, but as they go on, they get choked by worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and they do not mature.

15 But the ones on good soil are those who hear the word with a good and honest heart, hold onto it, and produce fruit with endurance.”

A Lamp on a Stand

16 “No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. They put it on a stand so those who come in can see the light.

17 Nothing hidden stays hidden, it will be revealed. Nothing kept secret will stay that way, it will come out in the open.

18 So pay attention to how you listen. Whoever has, more will be given. Whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they could not get close because of the crowd.

20 Someone told Him, “Your mother and brothers are outside wanting to see You.”

21 He answered, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

22 One day He got into a boat with His disciples and said, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out.

23 As they were sailing, He fell asleep. A strong windstorm came down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, they were in real danger.

24 They went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are about to die!” He got up, rebuked the wind and the raging water, and everything went calm.

25 Then He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, saying to each other, “Who is this, He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him.”

Jesus Heals a Demon-possessed Man

26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across from Galilee.

27 When Jesus stepped ashore, a man from the town met Him. This man was controlled by demons for a long time. He did not wear clothes and did not live in a house, he stayed among the tombs.

28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before Him and shouted, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God, I beg You, do not torment me!”

29 Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. The demon had taken control of him many times. Even though people chained him up and kept him under guard, he would break free and be driven by the demon into lonely, deserted places.

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him.

31 They begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss.

32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. He gave them permission.

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

34 When those tending the pigs saw what happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and countryside.

35 People came out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had left sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

36 Those who saw it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.

37 Then all the people of that region asked Jesus to leave, because they were overwhelmed with fear. So He got into the boat and left.

38 The man who had been freed from demons begged to go with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 “Go back home and tell what God has done for you.” So he went off, telling all over town what Jesus had done for him.

Jesus Heals and Raises the Dead

40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, because they were all expecting Him.

41 A man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, begging Him to come to his house,

42 because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus was going, the crowds were pressing in on Him.

43 There was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years, and she could not be healed by anyone.

44 She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and right away the bleeding stopped.

45 Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” Everyone denied it. Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me, I felt power go out from Me.”

47 Then the woman, seeing she could not stay hidden, came trembling and fell at His feet. In front of everyone, she told why she touched Him and how she was healed instantly.

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

49 While He was still speaking, someone came from Jairus’ house and said, “Your daughter has died. Do not trouble the Teacher anymore.”

50 But Jesus heard it and said, “Do not be afraid, just believe, and she will be healed.”

51 When He came to the house, He did not let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother.

52 Everyone was crying and mourning for her. But He said, “Stop crying, she is not dead, just asleep.”

53 They laughed at Him, knowing she was dead.

54 But He took her by the hand and said, “Child, get up.”

55 Her spirit returned, and she got up immediately. He told them to give her something to eat.

56 Her parents were amazed, but He told them not to tell anyone what had happened.