1 And it happened afterwards that he was making a journey through the cities and towns, preaching and evangelizing the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,
2 along with certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, who is called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had departed,
3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many other women, who were ministering to him from their resources.
4 Then, when a very numerous crowd was gathering together and hurrying from the cities to him, he spoke using a comparison:
5 “The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell beside the way; and it was trampled and the birds of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon rock; and having sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns, rising up with it, suffocated it.
8 And some fell upon good soil; and having sprung up, it produced fruit one hundredfold.” As he said these things, he cried out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 Then his disciples questioned him as to what this parable might mean.
10 And he said to them: “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to the rest, it is in parables, so that: seeing, they may not perceive, and hearing, they may not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 And those beside the way are those who hear it, but then the devil comes and takes the word from their heart, lest by believing it they may be saved.
13 Now those upon rock are those who, when they hear it, accept the word with joy, but these have no roots. So they believe for a time, but in a time of testing, they fall away.
14 And those which fell among thorns are those who have heard it, but as they go along, they are suffocated by the concerns and riches and pleasures of this life, and so they do not yield fruit.
15 But those which were on good soil are those who, upon hearing the word with a good and noble heart, retain it, and they bring forth fruit in patience.
16 Now no one, lighting a candle, covers it with a container, or sets it under a bed. Instead, he places it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.
17 For there is nothing secret, which will not be made clear, nor is there anything hidden, which will not be known and be brought into plain sight.
18 Therefore, take care how you listen. For whoever has, it will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
19 Then his mother and brothers came to him; but they were not able to go to him because of the crowd.
20 And it was reported to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 And in response, he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that he climbed into a little boat with his disciples. And he said to them, “Let us make a crossing over the lake.” And they embarked.
23 And as they were sailing, he slept. And a windstorm descended over the lake. And they were taking on water and were in danger.
24 Then, drawing near, they awakened him, saying, “Teacher, we are perishing.” But as he rose up, he rebuked the wind and the raging water, and they ceased. And a tranquility occurred.
25 Then he said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they, being afraid, were amazed, saying to one another, “Who do you think this is, so that he commands both wind and sea, and they obey him?”
26 And they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27 And when he had gone out to the land, a certain man met him, who had now had a demon for a long time. And he did not wear clothes, nor did he stay in a house, but among the sepulchers.
28 And when he saw Jesus, he fell down before him. And crying out in a loud voice, he said: “What is there between me and you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torture me.”
29 For he was ordering the unclean spirit to depart from the man. For on many occasions, it would seize him, and he was bound with chains and held by fetters. But breaking the chains, he was driven by the demon into deserted places.
30 Then Jesus questioned him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered into him.
31 And they petitioned him not to order them to go into the abyss.
32 And in that place, there was a herd of many swine, pasturing on the mountain. And they petitioned him to permit them to enter into them. And he permitted them.
33 Therefore, the demons departed from the man, and they entered into the swine. And the herd rushed violently down a precipice into the lake, and they were drowned.
34 And when those who were pasturing them had seen this, they fled and reported it in the city and the villages.
35 Then they went out to see what was happening, and they came to Jesus. And they found the man, from whom the demons had departed, sitting at his feet, clothed as well as in a sane mind, and they were afraid.
36 Then those who had seen this also reported to them how he had been healed from the legion.
37 And the entire multitude from the region of the Gerasenes pleaded with him to depart from them. For they were seized by a great fear. Then, climbing into the boat, he went back again.
38 And the man from whom the demons had departed pleaded with him, so that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 “Return to your house and explain to them what great things God has done for you.” And he traveled through the entire city, preaching about the great things that Jesus had done for him.
40 Now it happened that, when Jesus had returned, the crowd received him. For they were all waiting for him.
41 And behold, a man came, whose name was Jairus, and he was a leader of the synagogue. And he fell down at the feet of Jesus, asking him to enter into his house.
42 For he had an only daughter, nearly twelve years old, and she was dying. And it happened that, as he was going there, he was hemmed in by the crowd.
43 And there was a certain woman, with a flow of blood for twelve years, who had paid out all her substance on physicians, and she was unable to be cured by any of them.
44 She approached him from behind, and she touched the hem of his garment. And at once the flow of her blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, “Who is it that touched me?” But as everyone was denying it, Peter, and those who were with him, said: “Teacher, the crowd hems you in and presses upon you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
46 And Jesus said: “Someone has touched me. For I know that power has gone out from me.”
47 Then the woman, upon seeing that she was not hidden, came forward, trembling, and she fell down before his feet. And she declared before all the people the reason that she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
48 But he said to her: “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking, someone came to the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him: “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble him.”
50 Then Jesus, upon hearing this word, replied to the father of the girl: “Do not be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.”
51 And when he had arrived at the house, he would not permit anyone to enter with him, except Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
52 Now all were weeping and mourning for her. But he said: “Do not weep. The girl is not dead, but only sleeping.”
53 And they derided him, knowing that she had died.
54 But he, taking her by the hand, cried out, saying, “Little girl, arise.”
55 And her spirit returned, and she immediately rose up. And he ordered them to give her something to eat.
56 And her parents were stupefied. And he instructed them not to tell anyone what had happened. |