Luke 8
8He continued according to plan, traveled to town after town, village after village, preaching God's kingdom, spreading the Message. The Twelve were with him.G2532G1096G1722G2517G2532G846G1353G2596G4172G2532G2968G2784G2532G2097G932G2316G2532G1427G4862G8462There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;G2532G5100G1135G3739G2258G2323G575G4190G4151G2532G769G3137G2564G3094G575G3739G1831G2033G11403Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company.G2532G2489G1135G5529G2264G2012G2532G4677G2532G4183G2087G3748G1247G846G575G846G52244As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along. He addressed them, using this story:G1161G4183G3793G4896G2532G1975G4314G846G2596G4172G2036G1223G38505"A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it.G4687G1831G4687G846G4703G2532G1722G846G4687G3739G3303G4098G3844G3598G2532G2662G2532G4071G3772G2719G8466Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn't have good roots.G2532G2087G4098G1909G4073G2532G5453G3583G1223G3361G2192G24297Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it.G2532G2087G4098G1722G3319G173G2532G173G4855G638G1970G8468Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?"G2532G2087G4098G1909G18G1093G2532G5453G4160G2590G1542G3004G5023G5455G2192G3775G191G1919His disciples asked, "Why did you tell this story?"G1161G846G3101G1905G846G3004G5101G1498G3778G3850G149810He said, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren't going to get it: Their eyes are open but don't see a thing, Their ears are open but don't hear a thing.G1161G2036G5213G1325G1097G3466G932G2316G1161G3062G1722G3850G2443G991G991G3361G991G2532G191G4920G3361G492011"This story is about some of those people. The seed is the Word of God.G1161G3850G2076G3778G4703G2076G3056G231612The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won't believe and be saved.G1161G3844G3598G1526G191G1534G2064G1228G2532G142G3056G575G846G2588G3363G4100G498213"The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn't go very deep. It's only another fad, and the moment there's trouble it's gone.G1161G1909G4073G3739G3752G191G1209G3056G3326G5479G2532G3778G2192G3756G4491G3739G4314G2540G4100G2532G1722G2540G3986G86814"And the seed that fell in the weeds—well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.G1161G4098G1519G173G1526G3778G191G4198G2532G4846G5259G3308G2532G4149G2532G2237G979G2532G5052G3756G505215"But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there's a harvest.G1161G1722G2570G1093G1526G3778G3748G1722G2570G2532G18G2588G191G3056G2722G2532G2592G1722G528116"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way.G1161G3762G681G3088G2572G846G4632G2228G5087G5270G2825G235G2007G1909G3087G2443G1531G991G545717We're not keeping secrets; we're telling them. We're not hiding things; we're bringing everything out into the open.G1063G3756G2076G2927G3739G1096G3756G1096G5318G3761G614G3739G1097G3756G1097G2532G2064G1519G531818So be careful that you don't become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes."G991G3767G4459G191G1063G3739G302G2192G846G1325G2532G3739G302G2192G3361G575G846G142G2532G3739G1380G219219His mother and brothers showed up but couldn't get through to him because of the crowd.G1161G3854G4314G846G3384G2532G846G80G2532G1410G3756G4940G846G1223G379320He was given the message, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to see you."G2532G518G846G3004G4675G3384G2532G4675G80G2476G1854G2309G1492G457121He replied, "My mother and brothers are the ones who hear and do God's Word. Obedience is thicker than blood."G1161G611G2036G4314G846G3450G3384G2532G3450G80G1526G3778G3588G191G3056G2316G2532G4160G84622One day he and his disciples got in a boat. "Let's cross the lake," he said. And off they went.G2532G1096G1722G3391G2250G2532G846G1684G1519G4143G2532G846G3101G2532G2036G4314G846G1330G1519G4008G3041G2532G32123It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize.G1161G846G4126G879G2532G2597G2978G417G1519G3041G2532G4845G2532G279324They woke Jesus: "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" Getting to his feet, he told the wind, "Silence!" and the waves, "Quiet down!" They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.G1161G4334G1326G846G3004G1988G1988G622G1161G1453G2008G417G2532G2830G5204G2532G3973G2532G1096G105525Then he said to his disciples, "Why can't you trust me?" They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, "Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!"G1161G2036G846G4226G2076G5216G4102G1161G5399G2296G3004G4314G240G5101G686G2076G3778G3754G2004G2532G417G2532G5204G2532G5219G84626They sailed on to the country of the Gerasenes, directly opposite Galilee.G2532G2668G1519G5561G1046G3748G2076G495G105627As he stepped out onto land, a madman from town met him; he was a victim of demons. He hadn't worn clothes for a long time, nor lived at home; he lived in the cemetery.G1161G846G1831G1909G1093G5221G846G1537G4172G5100G435G3739G2192G1140G1537G2425G5550G2532G1737G3756G2440G2532G3756G3306G1722G3614G235G1722G341828When he saw Jesus he screamed, fell before him, and bellowed, "What business do you have messing with me? You're Jesus, Son of the High God, but don't give me a hard time!"G1161G1492G2424G349G2532G4363G846G2532G3173G5456G2036G5101G1698G2532G4671G2424G5207G2316G5310G1189G4675G928G3165G336129(The man said this because Jesus had started to order the unclean spirit out of him.) Time after time the demon threw the man into convulsions. He had been placed under constant guard and tied with chains and shackles, but crazed and driven wild by the demon, he would shatter the bonds.G1063G3853G3853G169G4151G1831G575G444G1063G4183G5550G4884G846G2532G5442G1196G254G2532G3976G2532G1284G1199G1643G5259G1142G1519G204830Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Mob. My name is Mob," he said, because many demons afflicted him.G1161G2424G1905G846G3004G5101G2076G4671G3686G1161G2036G3003G3754G4183G1140G1525G1519G84631And they begged Jesus desperately not to order them to the bottomless pit.G2532G3870G3870G846G3363G2004G3363G2004G846G565G1519G1232A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged Jesus to order them into the pigs. He gave the order.G1161G2258G1563G34G2425G5519G1006G1722G3735G2532G3870G846G2443G2010G846G1525G1519G1565G2532G2010G84633It was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the lake and drowned.G1161G1831G1140G575G444G1525G1519G5519G2532G34G3729G2596G2911G1519G3041G2532G63834Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country.G1161G1006G1492G1096G5343G2532G565G518G1519G4172G2532G1519G6835People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had been sent, sitting there at Jesus' feet, wearing decent clothes and making sense. It was a holy moment, and for a short time they were more reverent than curious.G1161G1831G1492G1096G2532G2064G4314G2424G2532G2147G444G575G3739G1140G1831G2521G3844G4228G2424G2439G2532G4993G2532G539936Then those who had seen it happen told how the demoniac had been saved.G1161G2532G1492G518G846G4459G1139G498237Later, a great many people from the Gerasene countryside got together and asked Jesus to leave—too much change, too fast, and they were scared. So Jesus got back in the boat and set off.G2532G537G4128G4066G1046G4066G2065G846G565G575G846G3754G4912G3173G5401G1161G846G1684G1519G4143G529038The man whom he had delivered from the demons asked to go with him, but he sent him back, saying,G1161G435G575G3739G1140G1831G1189G846G1511G4862G846G1161G2424G630G846G630G300439"Go home and tell everything God did in you." So he went back and preached all over town everything Jesus had done in him.G5290G1519G4675G3624G2532G1334G3745G2316G4160G4671G2532G565G2784G2596G3650G4172G3745G2424G4160G84640On his return, Jesus was welcomed by a crowd. They were all there expecting him.G1161G1096G1722G2424G5290G3793G588G846G1063G2258G3956G4328G84641A man came up, Jairus by name. He was president of the meeting place. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his homeG2532G2400G2064G435G3739G3686G2383G2532G846G5225G758G4864G2532G4098G3844G2424G4228G3870G846G1525G1519G846G362442because his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, was dying. Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd.G3754G846G2258G3439G2364G5613G1427G2094G2532G3778G846G599G1161G1722G846G5217G3793G4846G84643In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her.G2532G1135G5607G1722G4511G129G1427G575G2094G3748G4321G3650G979G1519G2395G3756G2480G2323G5259G376244She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus' robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped.G4334G3693G680G2899G846G2440G2532G3916G846G4511G129G247645Jesus said, "Who touched me?" When no one stepped forward, Peter said, "But Master, we've got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you."G2532G2424G2036G5101G680G3450G1161G3956G720G4074G2532G3326G846G2036G1988G3793G4912G4571G2532G598G2532G3004G5101G680G345046Jesus insisted, "Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me."G1161G2424G2036G5100G680G3450G1063G1473G1097G1411G1831G575G170047When the woman realized that she couldn't remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed.G1161G1135G1492G3754G2990G3756G2990G2064G5141G2532G4363G846G518G846G1799G3956G2992G1223G3739G156G680G846G2532G5613G2390G391648Jesus said, "Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!"G1161G2036G846G2364G2293G4675G4102G4982G4571G4982G4198G1519G151549While he was still talking, someone from the leader's house came up and told him, "Your daughter died. No need now to bother the Teacher."G846G2089G2980G2064G5100G3844G752G3004G846G3754G4675G2364G2348G4660G3361G132050Jesus overheard and said, "Don't be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right."G1161G2424G191G611G846G3004G5399G3361G4100G3440G2532G498251Going into the house, he wouldn't let anyone enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child's parents.G1161G1525G1519G3614G863G3756G3762G1525G1508G4074G2532G2385G2532G2491G2532G3962G2532G3384G381652Everyone was crying and carrying on over her. Jesus said, "Don't cry. She didn't die; she's sleeping."G1161G3956G2799G2532G2875G846G1161G2036G2799G3361G599G3756G599G235G251853They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.G2532G2606G846G2606G1492G3754G59954Then Jesus, gripping her hand, called, "My dear child, get up."G1161G846G1544G3956G1854G2532G2902G846G5495G5455G3004G3816G145355She was up in an instant, up and breathing again! He told them to give her something to eat.G2532G846G4151G1994G2532G450G3916G2532G1299G1325G846G531556Her parents were ecstatic, but Jesus warned them to keep quiet. "Don't tell a soul what happened in this room."G2532G846G1118G1839G1161G3853G846G2036G3367G1096
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