Luke 8
8Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him,G2532G1096G1722G2517G2532G846G1353G2596G4172G2532G2968G2784G2532G2097G932G2316G2532G1427G4862G8462along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons;G2532G5100G1135G3739G2258G2323G575G4190G4151G2532G769G3137G2564G3094G575G3739G1831G2033G11403Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.G2532G2489G1135G5529G2264G2012G2532G4677G2532G4183G2087G3748G1247G846G575G846G52244One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him.G1161G4183G3793G4896G2532G1975G4314G846G2596G4172G2036G1223G38505"A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.G4687G1831G4687G846G4703G2532G1722G846G4687G3739G3303G4098G3844G3598G2532G2662G2532G4071G3772G2719G8466Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.G2532G2087G4098G1909G4073G2532G5453G3583G1223G3361G2192G24297Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.G2532G2087G4098G1722G3319G173G2532G173G4855G638G1970G8468Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!" When he had said this, he called out, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."G2532G2087G4098G1909G18G1093G2532G5453G4160G2590G1542G3004G5023G5455G2192G3775G191G1919His disciples asked him what this parable meant.G1161G846G3101G1905G846G3004G5101G1498G3778G3850G149810He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'When they look, they won't really see. When they hear, they won't understand.'G1161G2036G5213G1325G1097G3466G932G2316G1161G3062G1722G3850G2443G991G991G3361G991G2532G191G4920G3361G492011"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God's word.G1161G3850G2076G3778G4703G2076G3056G231612The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.G1161G3844G3598G1526G191G1534G2064G1228G2532G142G3056G575G846G2588G3363G4100G498213The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.G1161G1909G4073G3739G3752G191G1209G3056G3326G5479G2532G3778G2192G3756G4491G3739G4314G2540G4100G2532G1722G2540G3986G86814The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.G1161G4098G1519G173G1526G3778G191G4198G2532G4846G5259G3308G2532G4149G2532G2237G979G2532G5052G3756G505215And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.G1161G1722G2570G1093G1526G3778G3748G1722G2570G2532G18G2588G191G3056G2722G2532G2592G1722G528116"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.G1161G3762G681G3088G2572G846G4632G2228G5087G5270G2825G235G2007G1909G3087G2443G1531G991G545717For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.G1063G3756G2076G2927G3739G1096G3756G1096G5318G3761G614G3739G1097G3756G1097G2532G2064G1519G531818"So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them."G991G3767G4459G191G1063G3739G302G2192G846G1325G2532G3739G302G2192G3361G575G846G142G2532G3739G1380G219219Then Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn't get to him because of the crowd.G1161G3854G4314G846G3384G2532G846G80G2532G1410G3756G4940G846G1223G379320Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you."G2532G518G846G3004G4675G3384G2532G4675G80G2476G1854G2309G1492G457121Jesus replied, "My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God's word and obey it."G1161G611G2036G4314G846G3450G3384G2532G3450G80G1526G3778G3588G191G3056G2316G2532G4160G84622One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and started out.G2532G1096G1722G3391G2250G2532G846G1684G1519G4143G2532G846G3101G2532G2036G4314G846G1330G1519G4008G3041G2532G32123As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.G1161G846G4126G879G2532G2597G2978G417G1519G3041G2532G4845G2532G279324The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm!G1161G4334G1326G846G3004G1988G1988G622G1161G1453G2008G417G2532G2830G5204G2532G3973G2532G1096G105525Then he asked them, "Where is your faith?" The disciples were terrified and amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!"G1161G2036G846G4226G2076G5216G4102G1161G5399G2296G3004G4314G240G5101G686G2076G3778G3754G2004G2532G417G2532G5204G2532G5219G84626So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee.G2532G2668G1519G5561G1046G3748G2076G495G105627As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.G1161G846G1831G1909G1093G5221G846G1537G4172G5100G435G3739G2192G1140G1537G2425G5550G2532G1737G3756G2440G2532G3756G3306G1722G3614G235G1722G341828As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don't torture me!"G1161G1492G2424G349G2532G4363G846G2532G3173G5456G2036G5101G1698G2532G4671G2424G5207G2316G5310G1189G4675G928G3165G336129For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon's power.G1063G3853G3853G169G4151G1831G575G444G1063G4183G5550G4884G846G2532G5442G1196G254G2532G3976G2532G1284G1199G1643G5259G1142G1519G204830Jesus demanded, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, for he was filled with many demons.G1161G2424G1905G846G3004G5101G2076G4671G3686G1161G2036G3003G3754G4183G1140G1525G1519G84631The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.G2532G3870G3870G846G3363G2004G3363G2004G846G565G1519G1232There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission.G1161G2258G1563G34G2425G5519G1006G1722G3735G2532G3870G846G2443G2010G846G1525G1519G1565G2532G2010G84633Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.G1161G1831G1140G575G444G1525G1519G5519G2532G34G3729G2596G2911G1519G3041G2532G63834When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.G1161G1006G1492G1096G5343G2532G565G518G1519G4172G2532G1519G6835People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus' feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.G1161G1831G1492G1096G2532G2064G4314G2424G2532G2147G444G575G3739G1140G1831G2521G3844G4228G2424G2439G2532G4993G2532G539936Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed.G1161G2532G1492G518G846G4459G1139G498237And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.G2532G537G4128G4066G1046G4066G2065G846G565G575G846G3754G4912G3173G5401G1161G846G1684G1519G4143G529038The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying,G1161G435G575G3739G1140G1831G1189G846G1511G4862G846G1161G2424G630G846G630G300439"No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you." So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.G5290G1519G4675G3624G2532G1334G3745G2316G4160G4671G2532G565G2784G2596G3650G4172G3745G2424G4160G84640On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him.G1161G1096G1722G2424G5290G3793G588G846G1063G2258G3956G4328G84641Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come home with him.G2532G2400G2064G435G3739G3686G2383G2532G846G5225G758G4864G2532G4098G3844G2424G4228G3870G846G1525G1519G846G362442His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.G3754G846G2258G3439G2364G5613G1427G2094G2532G3778G846G599G1161G1722G846G5217G3793G4846G84643A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure.G2532G1135G5607G1722G4511G129G1427G575G2094G3748G4321G3650G979G1519G2395G3756G2480G2323G5259G376244Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.G4334G3693G680G2899G846G2440G2532G3916G846G4511G129G247645"Who touched me?" Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you."G2532G2424G2036G5101G680G3450G1161G3956G720G4074G2532G3326G846G2036G1988G3793G4912G4571G2532G598G2532G3004G5101G680G345046But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."G1161G2424G2036G5100G680G3450G1063G1473G1097G1411G1831G575G170047When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.G1161G1135G1492G3754G2990G3756G2990G2064G5141G2532G4363G846G518G846G1799G3956G2992G1223G3739G156G680G846G2532G5613G2390G391648"Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace."G1161G2036G846G2364G2293G4675G4102G4982G4571G4982G4198G1519G151549While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."G846G2089G2980G2064G5100G3844G752G3004G846G3754G4675G2364G2348G4660G3361G132050But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed."G1161G2424G191G611G846G3004G5399G3361G4100G3440G2532G498251When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn't let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl's father and mother.G1161G1525G1519G3614G863G3756G3762G1525G1508G4074G2532G2385G2532G2491G2532G3962G2532G3384G381652The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, "Stop the weeping! She isn't dead; she's only asleep."G1161G3956G2799G2532G2875G846G1161G2036G2799G3361G599G3756G599G235G251853But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died.G2532G2606G846G2606G1492G3754G59954Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, "My child, get up!"G1161G846G1544G3956G1854G2532G2902G846G5495G5455G3004G3816G145355And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.G2532G846G4151G1994G2532G450G3916G2532G1299G1325G846G531556Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.G2532G846G1118G1839G1161G3853G846G2036G3367G1096
Columbus, OH
of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'When they look, they won't really see. When they hear, they won't understand.'G1161
