Luke 8
1 Soon after that, Jesus went, along with his twelve [disciples], through various cities and villages. As they went, he was telling people the good message about how God wants (to have complete control/to rule) [MET] [over their lives]. 2 Some women from whom he had expelled evil spirits and healed of diseases also [went with him]. These included Mary, the woman from Magdala [village], from whom [he had expelled] seven evil spirits; 3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, who was one of [King] Herod [Antipas’] officials; Susanna; and many others. They were providing some of their own funds [to help Jesus and his disciples]. 4 A large crowd of people came to Jesus from many towns. Then he told them this parable: 5 “A man went out [to his field] to sow [some] seeds. As he was scattering them over the soil, some [of the seeds] fell on the path. Then [people] walked on those seeds, and birds ate them. 6 Some [of the seeds] fell on rock [on which there was a thin layer of] moist [soil]. As soon as the seeds grew, the plants dried up because they had no moisture. 7 Some [of the seeds] fell on [ground that contained roots of] thorny [weeds]. The thorny weeds grew [together] with the young plants, and [they] crowded out [those plants]. 8 But some of the seeds fell on good soil and grew [well]. [Each seed later] produced 100 [grains].” Then Jesus called out to them, “If you want to understand [MTY] this, you must consider [carefully what I have just said]!” 9 Jesus’ disciples [later] asked him about the meaning of the parable [he had just told]. 10 He said, “God is revealing to you what he did not reveal before, about [how he wants to] rule [MET] [over people’s lives]. But when I am telling other people about [these things, I tell them] only in parables. The result will be [like a prophet predicted long ago]: They will see [what I am doing], but will not perceive [what it means]. They will hear [what I am saying], but will not understand [it]. 11 So this is the meaning of that parable: The seeds [represent] God’s message. 12 [Some people are like] the path on which some of [the seeds fell]. When these people hear God’s message, the devil comes and causes them to forget what they have heard. As a result, they do not believe it, and will not be saved {[God] will not save them}. 13 [Some people are like] the [soil with] rock [underneath]. When they hear [God’s] message, they accept it joyfully. [But because it does not penetrate deeply] [MET] [into their inner beings], they believe it for [only] a [short] time. [They are like the plants that] did not have [deep] roots. When difficult things happen to them, they stop believing [God’s message]. 14 [Some people are like] the [soil that had roots of] thorny [weeds] in it. They are people who accept [God’s message], but later on they worry about things, and try to become rich, and enjoy [things that give them] a lot of pleasure. So they do not become [spiritually] mature. 15 But [some people are like] the good soil. They hear [God’s] message and accept it. They [become] good, honest people, and they continue doing things [that please God] [MET].” 16 “After people light a lamp, they do not cover it with a basket or put it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a lampstand, so that those who enter [their house] can see [things from] its light [MET]. [Similarly, you must tell God’s truth to others so that they can know what I can do for them]. 17 [God wants to] make clear all [of his truth] that was not evident previously. [He intends] that all of [the truth] that [he] had not revealed before be told openly {that [his people] openly tell [others] all [of the truth] that [he] has not revealed before}. 18 So listen carefully [to what I tell you], because [God] will enable those who accept [my truth] to [understand even] more. But [God] will cause those who do not accept [my truth] to not understand even [the little] that they think they have [understood].” 19 [One day Jesus’] mother and his [younger] brothers came to see him, but they could not get near him because there was a large crowd [around him in the house]. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and your [younger] brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 He replied, “Those who hear God’s message and obey it are [as dear to me] [MET] as my mother and my brothers.” 22 One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples. He said to them, “Let’s go [around to] the other side of the lake.” So they started to go. 23 As they were sailing, he fell asleep. A big windstorm struck the lake. Soon the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. 24 Jesus’ disciples woke him up. They said [to him], “Master! Master! We [(inc)] are going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and told the waves to be calm. The wind [immediately] stopped blowing and the waves calmed down. [The lake] became calm. 25 He said to them, “(I [am disappointed that] you did not trust me [to help you]!/Why did you not trust me [to help you]?)” [RHQ] They were afraid. They were also amazed. They said to each other, “(What kind of man is this?/This man is not like ordinary men!) [RHQ] He [not only commands people, but] when he commands the wind and the water, they also obey him!” 26 Jesus and his disciples arrived at the region near Gerasa, a [town] which [was on the eastern] side of Lake [Galilee]. 27 [There was] a man [in that region] in whom demons lived. [He was] from the town [of Gerasa]. (OR, [In that area there was] a man [from that town] whom demons controlled.) For a long time he had not worn clothes. He did not live in a house. Instead, he lived in burial caves. 28 Many times [demons] attacked him. He was guarded {[People] tried to guard him} [so that he would not injure others]. Chains were fastened {They fastened chains} on his hands and shackles on his feet, but he would break the chains and shackles. Then he would be sent away by the demons {the demons would send him away} to some desolate area. When Jesus stepped out of the boat onto the shore, the man saw him. He [ran to Jesus] and prostrated himself before him. Then Jesus commanded, “You evil spirit, come out of that man!” But it [did not leave immediately. Instead, it] caused the man to shout very loudly, “Jesus, Son of the great God in heaven, since we [(inc)] have nothing in common, [leave me alone] [RHQ]! I beg you, do not torture me [now]!” 29 30 [In order to expel the demon more easily], Jesus asked [the demon], “What is your [(sg)] name?” He replied, “My name is Crowd/Mob.” [He said that] because many demons had entered that man. 31 [The demons] kept begging [Jesus] that he would not command them to go into the deep place [where God punishes demons]. (Abyssos g12) 32 There was a large herd of pigs (grazing/rooting for food) on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus that he allow them to enter the pigs. So he did. 33 The demons left the man and entered the pigs. Then the herd [of pigs] rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 34 When the men who were taking care of the pigs saw what happened, they ran! They told people inside the town and outside the town what had happened. 35 So people went out to see what had happened. When they came to where Jesus was, they saw that the man from whom Jesus had [expelled] the demons was sitting at the feet of Jesus, [listening to him]. He had clothes on, and his mind was normal again. Then those people became afraid [because they thought that Jesus would destroy more of their property] (OR, [because they realized that he must be very powerful]). 36 The people who had seen what happened told those [who had just arrived] how [Jesus] had healed the man whom demons were controlling [before]. 37 Then [those people and] many other people [HYP] from the area near Gerasa asked Jesus to leave their area. They were very afraid of [what else Jesus would do to them]. So [Jesus and the disciples] got into the boat to go back across the lake. 38 The man from whom he had [expelled] the demons begged him saying, “[Please], let me go with you!” But [Jesus refused. Instead], he said to him, 39 “[No], go home and tell people how much God has done for you!” Then he sent him away. So the man went away and told people throughout the nearby town how much Jesus had done for him. 40 When [Jesus and the disciples] returned [to Capernaum], a crowd of people who had been waiting for him welcomed him. 41 Just then a man named Jairus, who was one of the leaders (of the synagogue/of the Jewish meeting place) [there], came near and prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet. He pleaded with Jesus, “Please come to my house [and heal my daughter], 42 my only daughter, who is about twelve years old, because she is dying!” As Jesus went with him, many people crowded close to Jesus. 43 Then a woman came near. She had been suffering from constant [vaginal] [EUP] bleeding for twelve years, but she could not be healed by anyone {no one could heal her}. 44 She came behind [Jesus] and touched the edge of his robe [in order to be healed]. At once her bleeding stopped. 45 Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When everyone said that they had not touched him, Peter said, “Lord, there is a large crowd of people around you [(sg)] and crowding against you, [so any one of them might have touched you]!” 46 But Jesus said, “[I know that] someone [deliberately] touched me, [because] my power has healed someone [who touched me].” 47 When the woman realized that she could not prevent [Jesus] (OR, [people]) from knowing that [she was healed], her body began to shake. [She was afraid that because she had disobeyed the law that a woman with such a condition should not touch others, Jesus might scold her for doing that]. She prostrated herself before Jesus. As the other people were listening, she told why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 [Jesus] said to her, “(Ma’am/My dear woman), because you believed [PRS] [that I could heal you, I] have healed you. Go [from here, and may you experience God’s] peace [within you].” 49 While he was still talking [to her], a man from Jairus’ house came and said to Jairus, “Your daughter has died. So (it is useless that you bother the teacher any longer [by urging him to go to your house]!/why do you bother the teacher any longer [by urging him to go to your house]?) [RHQ]” 50 But when Jesus heard that, he said to Jairus, “Do not think that there is nothing more that can be done. Just believe that [I can help her. If you(sg) do that], she will live again.” 51 When they arrived outside Jairus’ house, Jesus allowed only Peter, John, James, and the girl’s mother and father to go in Jairus’ house with him. 52 All the people [there] were crying and beating their chests [to show that they were sad]. But, [knowing that he would cause the girl to live again], he said to them, “Stop crying! She is not dead! She is [just] sleeping [MET]!” 53 The people laughed at him, because they knew that [the girl] was dead. 54 But [Jesus] took hold of her hand and called to her, saying, “Child, get up!” 55 At once her spirit returned [to her body] and she got up. Jesus immediately said, “Give her something to eat!” 56 Her parents were amazed, but Jesus told them not to tell anyone [else yet] what had happened.
