Women Who Helped Jesus
1 Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him, 2 and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene, who once had seven demons in her. 3 Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesus and his disciples. Joanna's husband Chuza was one of Herod's officials.
A Story about a Farmer
(Matthew 13.1-9Mark 4.1-9)4 When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:
5 A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was doing this, some of the seeds fell along the road and were stepped on or eaten by birds. 6 Other seeds fell on rocky ground and started growing. But the plants did not have enough water and soon dried up. 7 Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. 8 The rest of the seeds fell on good ground where they grew and produced a hundred times as many seeds.
When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, “If you have ears, pay attention!”
Why Jesus Used Stories
(Matthew 13.10-17Mark 4.10-12)9 Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant. 10 So he answered:
I have explained the secrets about God's kingdom to you. But for others I use stories, so they will look, but not see, and they will hear, but not understand.
Jesus Explains the Story about a Farmer
(Matthew 13.18-23Mark 4.13-20)11 This is what the story means: The seed is God's message, 12 and the seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But the devil comes and snatches the message out of their hearts, so they will not believe and be saved. 13 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it. But they don't have deep roots, and they believe only for a little while. As soon as life gets hard, they give up.
14 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they are so eager for riches and pleasures that they never produce anything. 15 Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.
Light
(Mark 4.21-25)16 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed. A lamp is always put on a lampstand, so people who come into a house will see the light. 17 There is nothing hidden that will not be found. There is no secret that will not be well known. 18 Pay attention to how you listen! Everyone who has something will be given more, but people who have nothing will lose what little they think they have.
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
(Matthew 12.46-50Mark 3.31-35)19 Jesus' mother and brothers went to see him, but because of the crowd they could not get near him. 20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.”
21 Jesus answered, “My mother and my brothers are those people who hear and obey God's message.”
A Storm
(Matthew 8.23-27Mark 4.35-41)22 One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, and he said, “Let's cross the lake.” They started out, 23 and while they were sailing across, he went to sleep.
Suddenly a storm struck the lake, and the boat started sinking. They were in danger. 24 So they went to Jesus and woke him up, “Master, Master! We are about to drown!”
Jesus got up and ordered the wind and waves to stop. They obeyed, and everything was calm. 25 Then Jesus asked the disciples, “Don't you have any faith?”
But they were frightened and amazed. They said to each other, “Who is this? He can give orders to the wind and the waves, and they obey him!”
A Man with Demons in Him
(Matthew 8.28-34Mark 5.1-20)26 Jesus and his disciples sailed across Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa. 27 As Jesus was getting out of the boat, he was met by a man from this town. The man had demons in him. He had gone naked for a long time and no longer lived in a house, but in the graveyard.
28 The man saw Jesus and screamed. He knelt down in front of him and shouted, “Jesus, Son of God Most High, what do you want with me? I beg you not to torture me!” 29 He said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to go out of him.
The man had often been attacked by the demon. And even though he had been bound with chains and leg irons and kept under guard, he smashed whatever bound him. Then the demon would force him out into lonely places.
30 Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?”
He answered, “My name is Lots.” He said this because there were “lots” of demons in him. 31 They begged Jesus not to send them to the deep pit, where they would be punished.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and Jesus let them go. 33 Then the demons left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
34 When the men taking care of the pigs saw this, they ran to spread the news in the town and on the farms. 35 The people went out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they also found the man. The demons had gone out of him, and he was sitting there at the feet of Jesus. He had clothes on and was in his right mind. But the people were terrified.
36 Then all who had seen the man healed told about it. 37 Everyone from around Gerasa begged Jesus to leave, because they were so frightened.
When Jesus got into the boat to start back, 38 the man who had been healed begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him off and said, 39 “Go back home and tell everyone how much God has done for you.” The man then went all over town, telling everything that Jesus had done for him.
A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman
(Matthew 9.18-26Mark 5.21-43)40 Everyone had been waiting for Jesus, and when he came back, a crowd was there to welcome him. 41 Just then the man in charge of the synagogue came and knelt down in front of Jesus. His name was Jairus, and he begged Jesus to come to his home 42 because his twelve-year-old child was dying. She was his only daughter.
While Jesus was on his way, people were crowding all around him. 43 In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on doctors, but none of them could make her well.
44 As soon as she came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes, her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
While everyone was denying it, Peter said, “Master, people are crowding all around and pushing you from every side.”
46 But Jesus answered, “Someone touched me, because I felt power going out from me.” 47 The woman knew that she could not hide, so she came trembling and knelt down in front of Jesus. She told everyone why she had touched him and that she had been healed at once.
48 Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace!”
49 While Jesus was speaking, someone came from Jairus' home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?”
50 When Jesus heard this, he told Jairus, “Don't worry! Have faith, and your daughter will get well.”
51 Jesus went into the house, but he did not let anyone else go with him, except Peter, John, James, and the girl's father and mother. 52 Everyone was crying and weeping for the girl. But Jesus said, “The child isn't dead. She is just asleep.” 53 The people laughed at him because they knew she was dead.
54 Jesus took hold of the girl's hand and said, “Child, get up!” 55 She came back to life and got right up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were surprised, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
1 And it came to passe afterwarde, that hee himselfe went through euery citie and towne, preaching and publishing the kingdome of God, and the twelue were with him, 2 And certaine women, which were healed of euill spirites, and infirmities, as Mary which was called Magdalene, out of whom went seuen deuils, 3 And Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward, and Susanna, and many other which ministred vnto him of their substance. 4 Nowe when much people were gathered together, and were come vnto him out of all cities, he spake by a parable. 5 A sower went out to sowe his seede, and as he sowed, some fell by the wayes side, and it was troden vnder feete, and the foules of heauen deuoured it vp. 6 And some fell on the stones, and when it was sprong vp, it withered away, because it lacked moystnesse. 7 And some fell among thornes, and the thornes sprang vp with it, and choked it. 8 And some fell on good ground, and sprang vp, and bare fruite, an hundreth folde. And as hee sayd these things, he cryed, He that hath eares to heare, let him heare. 9 Then his disciples asked him, demaunding what parable that was. 10 And he sayd, Vnto you it is giuen to know the secrets of ye kingdome of God, but to other in parables, that when they see, they shoulde not see, and when they heare, they should not vnderstand. 11 The parable is this, The seede is the worde of God. 12 And they that are beside the way, are they that heare: afterward commeth the deuill, and taketh away the worde out of their hearts, least they should beleeue, and be saued. 13 But they that are on the stones, are they which when they haue heard, receiue ye word with ioy: but they haue no rootes: which for a while beleeue, but in the time of tentation goe away. 14 And that which fell among thornes, are they which haue heard, and after their departure are choked with cares and with riches, and voluptuous liuing, and bring forth no fruite. 15 But that which fell in good ground, are they which with an honest and good heart heare the worde, and keepe it, and bring forth fruite with patience. 16 No man when he hath lighted a candle, couereth it vnder a vessell, neither putteth it vnder the bed, but setteth it on a candlesticke, that they that enter in, may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be euident: neither any thing hid, that shall not be knowen, and come to light. 18 Take heede therefore how ye heare: for whosoeuer hath, to him shall be giuen: and whosoeuer hath not, from him shalbe taken euen that which it seemeth that he hath. 19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come neere to him for the preasse. 20 And it was tolde him by certaine which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, and would see thee. 21 But he answered, and sayd vnto them, My mother and my brethren are these which heare the worde of God, and doe it. 22 And it came to passe on a certaine day, that he went into a ship with his disciples, and he sayd vnto them, Let vs goe ouer vnto the other side of the lake. And they lanched forth. 23 And as they sayled, he fell a sleepe, and there came downe a storme of winde on the lake, and they were filled with water, and were in ieopardie. 24 Then they went to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. And he arose, and rebuked the winde, and the waues of water: and they ceased, and it was calme. 25 Then he sayde vnto them, Where is your fayth? and they feared, and wondered among them selues, saying, Who is this that commandeth both the windes and water, and they obey him! 26 So they sailed vnto the region of the Gadarenes, which is ouer against Galile. 27 And as he went out to land, there met him a certaine man out of the citie, which had deuils long time, and he ware no garment, neither abode in house, but in the graues. 28 And when he sawe Iesus, he cryed out and fell downe before him, and with a loude voyce sayd, What haue I to doe with thee, Iesus the Sonne of God the most High? I beseech thee torment me not. 29 For he commanded ye foule spirit to come out of the man: (for oft times he had caught him: therefore he was bound with chaines, and kept in fetters: but he brake the bands, and was caried of the deuill into wildernesses.) 30 Then Iesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? and he sayd, Legion, because many deuils were entred into him. 31 And they besought him, that he would not commaund them to goe out into the deepe. 32 And there was there by, an hearde of many swine, feeding on an hill: and the deuils besought him, that he would suffer them to enter into them. So he suffered them. 33 Then went the deuils out of the man, and entred into the swine: and the hearde was caried with violence from a steepe downe place into the lake, and was choked. 34 When the heardmen sawe what was done, they fled: and when they were departed, they tolde it in the citie and in the countrey. 35 Then they came out to see what was done, and came to Iesus, and found the man, out of whom the deuils were departed, sitting at the feete of Iesus, clothed, and in his right minde: and they were afrayd. 36 They also which saw it, tolde them by what meanes he that was possessed with the deuill, was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the countrey about the Gadarenes, besought him that he would depart from them: for they were taken with a great feare: and he went into the ship, and returned. 38 Then the man, out of whome the deuils were departed, besought him that hee might be with him: but Iesus sent him away, saying, 39 Returne into thine owne house, and shewe what great things God hath done to thee. So hee went his way, and preached throughout all the citie, what great things Iesus had done vnto him. 40 And it came to passe, when Iesus was come againe, that the people receiued him: for they all waited for him. 41 And beholde, there came a man named Iairus, and he was the ruler of the Synagogue, who fell downe at Iesus feete, and besought him that he would come into his house. 42 For he had but a daughter onely, about twelue yeeres of age, and she lay a dying (and as he went, the people thronged him. 43 And a woman hauing an yssue of blood, twelue yeeres long, which had spent all her substance vpon physicians, and could not be healed of any: 44 When she came behind him, she touched the hemme of his garment, and immediatly her yssue of blood stanched. 45 Then Iesus sayd, Who is it that hath touched me? When euery man denied, Peter sayd and they that were with him, Master, the multitude thrust thee, and tread on thee, and sayest thou, Who hath touched me? 46 And Iesus sayde, Some one hath touched me: for I perceiue that vertue is gone out of me. 47 When the woman sawe that she was not hid, she came trembling, and fell downe before him, and tolde him before all the people, for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediatly. 48 And he said vnto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath saued thee: go in peace.) 49 While he yet spake, there came one from the ruler of the Synagogues house, which sayde to him, Thy daughter is dead: disease not the Master. 50 When Iesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Feare not: beleeue onely, and she shall be saued. 51 And when he went into the house, he suffered no man to goe in with him, saue Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and the father and mother of the maide. 52 And all wept, and sorowed for her: but he sayd, Weepe not: for she is not dead, but sleepeth. 53 And they laught him to scorne, knowing that she was dead. 54 So he thrust them all out, and tooke her by the hand, and cryed, saying, Maide, arise. 55 And her spirite came againe, and she rose straightway: and he comanded to giue her meate. 56 Then her parents were astonied: but hee commanded them that they should tell no man what was done.