Luke 8:26–10:16

Demons Driven Out by the Master

²⁶Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, ^cdwhich is opposite Galilee. ²⁷When He got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met Him. For a long time he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸When he saw Jesus, he cried out, ^efell down before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me, ^fgJesus, You Son of the Most High God? ^hI beg You, don’t torment me!” ²⁹For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.

³⁰“What is your name?” Jesus asked him.

“Legion,” ⁱhe said—because many demons had entered him. ³¹And they begged Him not to banish them to the abyss. ^j

³²A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Him to permit them to enter the pigs, and He gave them permission. ³³The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. ³⁴When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and in the countryside. ³⁵Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had departed from, sitting at Jesus’ feet, ^kdressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ³⁶Meanwhile, the eyewitnesses reported to them how the demon-possessed man was delivered. ^l37Then all the people of the Gerasene region ^masked Him to leave them, ⁿbecause they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, He returned.

³⁸The man from whom the demons had departed kept begging Him to be with Him. But He sent him away and said, ³⁹“Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you.” And off he went, proclaiming throughout the town all that Jesus had done for him.

A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed

⁴⁰When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, ^ofor they were all expecting Him. ^p41Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue. ^qHe fell down at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with Him to come to his house, ⁴²because he had an only daughter ^rabout 12 years old, and she was at death’s door. ^s

While He was going, the crowds were nearly crushing Him. ^t43A woman suffering from bleeding ^ufor 12 years, ^vwho had spent all she had on doctors ^wyet could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴approached from behind and touched the tassel of His robe. ^xInstantly her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵“Who touched Me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter ^ysaid, “Master, ^zthe crowds are hemming You in and pressing against You.” ^a

⁴⁶“Someone did touch Me,” said Jesus. “I know that power has gone out from Me.” ^b47When the woman saw that she was discovered, ^cshe came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched Him and how she was instantly cured. ⁴⁸“Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well. ^dGo in peace.” ^e

⁴⁹While He was still speaking, ^fsomeone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother ^gthe Teacher ^hanymore.”

⁵⁰When Jesus heard it, He answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be made well.” ⁵¹After He came to the house, He let no one enter with Him except Peter, John, James, ⁱand the child’s father and mother. ⁵²Everyone was crying ^jand mourning for her. ^kBut He said, “Stop crying, for she is not dead but asleep.” ^l

⁵³They started laughing at Him, because they knew she was dead. ⁵⁴So He ^mtook her by the hand ⁿand called out, “Child, get up!” ^o55Her spirit returned, ^pand she got up at once. Then He gave orders that she be given something to eat. ⁵⁶Her parents were astounded, but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened. ^q

Commissioning the Twelve

9Summoning the Twelve, ^rHe gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal ^sdiseases. ^t2Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ^u

³“Take nothing for the road,” ^vHe told them, “no walking stick, ^wno traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. ⁵If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” ^x6So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.

Herod’s Desire to See Jesus

⁷Herod the tetrarch ^yheard about everything that was going on. ^zHe was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸some that Elijah had appeared, ^aand others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. ^b9“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see Him. ^c

Feeding 5,000

¹⁰When the apostles returned, ^dthey reported to Jesus all that they had done. ^eHe took them along and withdrew privately to a ^ftown called Bethsaida. ^g11When the crowds found out, they followed Him. He welcomed them, ^hspoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured ⁱthose who needed healing.

¹²Late in the day, ^jkthe Twelve approached and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, ^lso they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place here.”

¹³“You give them something to eat,” He told them.

“We have no more than five loaves ^mand two fish,” they said, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴(For about 5,000 men were there.)

Then He told His disciples, “Have them sit down ⁿin groups of about 50 each.” ¹⁵They did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, ^oHe blessed and broke them. ^pHe kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷Everyone ate and was filled. Then they picked up ^q12 baskets of leftover pieces.

Peter’s Confession of the Messiah

¹⁸While He was praying in private ^rand His disciples were with Him, He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

¹⁹They answered, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back.” ^st

²⁰“But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah!” ^u

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

²¹But He strictly warned and instructed them to tell this to no one, ^v22saying, ^w“The ^•Son of Man ^xmust suffer many things ^yand be rejected ^zby the elders, ^•chief priests, and ^•scribes, ^abe killed, and be raised the third day.” ^b

Take Up Your Cross

²³Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with ^cMe, he must deny himself, ^dtake up his cross daily, ^eand follow Me. ^f24For whoever wants to save his ^•life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it. ^g25What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself? ^h26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, ⁱthe Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory ^jand that of the Father and the holy angels. ^k27I tell you the truth: There are some standing here who will not taste death ^luntil they see the kingdom of God.” ^m

The Transfiguration

²⁸About eight days after these words, ⁿHe took along Peter, John, and James ^oand went up on the mountain to pray. ^p29As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, ^qand His clothes became dazzling white. ^r30Suddenly, two men were talking with Him—Moses and Elijah. ³¹They appeared in glory and were speaking of His death, ^swhich He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

³²Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep, ^tuand when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who were standing with Him. ³³As the two men were departing from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, ^vit’s good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. ^w

³⁴While he was saying this, a cloud appeared and overshadowed ^xthem. They became afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵Then a voice came from the cloud, ^ysaying:

This is My Son, ^zthe Chosen One; ^ab

listen to Him! ^c

³⁶After the voice had spoken, only Jesus was found. They kept silent, and in those days told no one what they had seen.

The Power of Faith over a Demon

³⁷The next day, ^dwhen they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. ³⁸Just then a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he’s my only child. ^e39Often a spirit seizes him; suddenly he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; ^fwounding ^ghim, it hardly ever leaves him. ⁴⁰I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.” ^h

⁴¹Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and rebellious ⁱgeneration! ^jHow long will I be with you and put up with you? ^kBring your son here.”

⁴²As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, ^land gave him back to his father. ^m43And they were all astonished at the greatness of God. ⁿ

The Second Prediction of His Death

While everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing, ^oHe told His disciples, ⁴⁴“Let these words sink in: ^pThe Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” ^q

⁴⁵But they did not understand this statement; ^rit was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, ^sand they were afraid to ask Him about it. ^t

Who Is the Greatest?

⁴⁶Then an argument started among them about who would be the greatest of them. ^u47But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, ^vtook a little child and had him stand next to Him. ⁴⁸He told them, “Whoever welcomes ^wthis little child in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me. ^xFor whoever is least among you—this one is great.” ^y

In His Name

⁴⁹John responded, ^z“Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, ^aand we tried to stop him…