Matthew 8:21-34 ▼

21 Then another of his disciples told him, |Lord, first let me go and bury my father.|

22 But Jesus told him, |Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.|

23 When Jesus got into the boat, his disciples went with him.

24 Suddenly, a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat began to be swamped by the waves. Yet Jesus kept sleeping.

25 They went to him and woke him up. |Lord!| they cried, |Save us! We're going to die!|

26 He asked them, |Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?| Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

27 The men were amazed. |What kind of man is this?| they asked. |Even the winds and the sea obey him!|

28 When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road.

29 Suddenly, they screamed, |What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before the proper time?|

30 Now a large herd of pigs was grazing some distance away from them.

31 So the demons began to plead with Jesus, saying, |If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs.|

32 He told them, |Go,| and they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the cliff into the sea and drowned in the water.

33 Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs ran away, they came into the city and reported everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

34 Then the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and as soon as they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.