The Gerasene Demoniac

1They came to the [a]other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. 2When Jesus got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and the man lived in the [b]tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with chains. 4For he had often been bound with shackles [for the feet] and with chains, and he tore apart the chains and broke the shackles into pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue and tame him. 5Night and day he was constantly screaming and shrieking among the tombs and on the mountains, and cutting himself with [sharp] stones. 6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him [in homage]; 7and screaming with a loud voice, he said, “[c]What business do we have in common with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you by God [swear to me], do not torment me!” 8For Jesus had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10And he began begging Him repeatedly not to send them out of the region. 11Now there was a large herd of pigs grazing there on the mountain. 12And the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the pigs so that we may go into them!” 13Jesus gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out [of the man] and entered the pigs. The herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea; and they were drowned [one after the other] in the sea.

14The herdsmen [tending the pigs] ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what had happened. 15They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had [previously] had the “legion” [of demons]; and they were frightened. 16Those who had seen it described [in detail] to the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and [told them all] about the pigs. 17So the people began to beg with Jesus to leave their region. 18As He was stepping into the boat, the [Gentile] man who had been demon-possessed was begging with Him [asking] that he might go with Him [as a disciple]. 19Jesus did not let him [come], but [instead] He said to him, “Go home to your family and tell them all the great things that the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” 20So he [obeyed and] went away and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten Hellenistic cities] all the great things that Jesus had done for him; and all the people were astonished.

Miracles and Healing

21When Jesus had again crossed over in the boat to the other side [of the sea], a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. 22One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up; and seeing Him, fell at His feet 23and begged anxiously with Him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; [please] come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.” 24And Jesus went with him; and a large crowd followed Him and pressed in around Him [from all sides].

25A woman [in the crowd] had [suffered from] a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26and had endured much [suffering] at the hands of many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but instead had become worse. 27She had heard [reports] about Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His outer robe. 28For she thought, “If I just touch His clothing, I will get well.” 29Immediately her flow of blood was dried up; and she felt in her body [and knew without any doubt] that she was healed of her suffering. 30Immediately Jesus, recognizing in Himself that power had gone out from Him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched My clothes?” 31His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in around You [from all sides], and You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32Still He kept looking around to see the woman who had done it. 33And the woman, though she was afraid and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34Then He said to her, “Daughter, your faith [your personal trust and confidence in Me] has restored you to health; go in peace and be [permanently] healed from your suffering.”

35While He was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue official’s house, saying [to Jairus], “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher any longer?” 36Overhearing what was being said, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; only keep on believing [in Me and my power].” 37And He allowed no one to go with Him [as witnesses], except Peter and [d]James and John the brother of James. 38They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He looked [with understanding] at the uproar and commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing [in mourning]. 39When He had gone in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is sleeping.” 40They began laughing [scornfully] at Him [because they knew the child was dead]. But He made them all [e]go outside, and took along the child’s father and mother and His own [three] companions, and entered the room where the child was. 41Taking the child’s hand, He said [tenderly] to her, “Talitha kum!”--which translated [from Aramaic] means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” 42The little girl immediately got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they [who witnessed the child’s resurrection] were overcome with great wonder and utter amazement. 43He gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.

[a] 1 The southeastern region of the Sea of Galilee.
[b] 3 These probably were burial places built above the ground, or natural caves in the hillside. Cave tombs often had two chambers, one of which remained empty as long as relatives were still alive. Such tombs frequently were used as shelter by lepers, demoniacs, and the poor.
[c] 7 See note 1:24.
[d] 37 The sons of Zebedee and Salome.
[e] 40 Their lack of faith in Him made them unworthy to witness the miracle of resurrection.