Luke 8

Women Travel with Jesus

1Soon afterward Jesus went through towns and villages, proclaiming and announcing the good news of God’s kingdom. The twelve were with him, 2along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and illnesses: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; 3Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others. These women were supporting them from their own resources.

The Sower

4When a large crowd was gathering and people from town after town were coming to Jesus, he spoke in a parable: 5“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path, was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it. 6Some fell on rock, and when it grew up it withered because it had no moisture. 7Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8Some fell into good soil and, when it grew, produced a hundredfold.” As he said these things he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen.” 9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but to the rest it comes in parables, so that
‘seeing they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.’ 11This is what the parable means: The seed is God’s word. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts so that they may not trust and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They trust for a time and fall away in a time of testing. 14What fell among thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15But what fell in good soil are those who hear the word with a good and upright heart, hold it firmly, and bear fruit with endurance.

Hearing and Doing

16“No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand so that those entering may see the light. 17Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known and come to light. 18Therefore pay attention to how you hear. Whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken away.” 19Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him but could not reach him because of the crowd. 20Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.” 21He answered, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear God’s word and do it.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

22One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. 23As they sailed, he fell asleep. A windstorm came down on the lake, the boat began filling with water, and they were in danger. 24They came and woke him: “Master! Master! We are perishing!” He got up, rebuked the wind and the raging water, and they stopped, and there was a calm. 25He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!”

A Man Freed from Demons

26They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across from Galilee. 27When Jesus stepped onto land, a man from the town met him who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes and lived not in a house but among the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell before him, and shouted, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!” 29For Jesus had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him. He had been kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into deserted places. 30Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31They begged Jesus not to command them to go into the abyss. 32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to allow them to enter the pigs, and he allowed them. 33The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 34When the herders saw what had happened, they fled and reported it in the town and countryside. 35People came 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 had seen it told them how the demonized man had been saved. 37Then all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. He got into the boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with Jesus, but Jesus sent him away: 39“Return home and tell what God has done for you.” The man went away, proclaiming throughout the town what Jesus had done for him.

A Woman Healed and a Girl Raised

40When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him because they were all waiting for him. 41Look—a man named Jairus came. He was a synagogue ruler. Falling at Jesus’ feet, he begged him to come to his house 42because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went, the crowds pressed around him. 43A woman had suffered from bleeding for twelve years and could not be healed by anyone. 44She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his garment. Immediately her bleeding stopped. 45Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press against you.” 46But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, because I knew that power had gone out from me.” 47When the woman saw that she had not remained hidden, she came trembling, fell before him, and declared before all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” 49While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue ruler’s house and said, “Your daughter has died. Do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 50But Jesus heard and answered Jairus, “Do not be afraid. Only trust, and she will be saved.” 51When he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. 52Everyone was weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep. She has not died but is sleeping.” 53They laughed at him because they knew she had died. 54But Jesus took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” 55Her spirit returned, and she got up immediately. He ordered that she be given something to eat. 56Her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.