Luke 8
8
The Story of the Farmer
1After this, Jesus traveled around from one town and village to another, announcing the good news of God’s kingdom. His 12 disciples were with him, 2and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. One was Mary Magdalene; seven demons had come out of her. 3Another was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household. A woman named Susanna and many others were also there. These women were using their own money to support Jesus and the 12 disciples.
4A large crowd was gathering as people came to Jesus from town after town, and he told a story. He said, 5“A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered the seed on the ground, some fell on a path. People walked on it and the birds ate it up. 6Some seed fell on rocky ground; when it grew, the plants dried up because they had no water. 7Other seed fell among thorns, and they grew up with it and crowded out the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced 100 times more seeds than were planted.”
After Jesus had said this, he called out, “Whoever understands should take this to heart.”
9His disciples asked him what the story meant. He told them, 10“You are being given the chance to understand the secrets of God’s kingdom. But to outsiders, I speak in stories. That way,
“ ‘They’ll see, but they won’t know what they’re seeing;
they’ll hear, but they won’t understand what they’re hearing.’
11“Here’s what the story means: 12The seed on the path is God’s message in the hearts of those who hear, but the devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts. They won’t believe and be saved. 13The seed on rocky ground stands for those who hear the message and receive it with joy, but who have no roots. They believe for a while, but when they are tested, they fall away from the faith. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message, but then, as they go on their way, are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, so they don’t reach full growth. 15But the seed that fell on good soil stands for those who have good and honest hearts. Those people hear the message, keep it in their hearts, remain faithful, and produce a good crop.
A Lamp on a Stand
16“No one lights a lamp but then hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand so that anyone who comes in can see its light. 17What is hidden will be seen, and what is out of sight will be brought into the open and made known. 18Therefore, listen carefully. If someone has something, they will be given more. But if someone has nothing, even what they think they have will be taken away from them.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
19Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get near him because of the crowd. 20Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.”
21He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and do what it says.”
Jesus Calms the Storm
22One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and headed out. 23As they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. Then a storm came down on the lake. It was so severe that the boat was about to sink, so they were all in great danger.
24The disciples went and woke Jesus up, saying, “Master! Master! We’re going to drown!”
But he got up and ordered the wind and the huge waves to stop raging. The storm quieted down, and everything became completely calm. 25“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
They were amazed and filled with fear. They asked one another, “Who is this? He even commands the winds and the waves, and they obey him.”
Jesus Heals a Man Controlled by Demons
26Jesus and his disciples sailed to the land of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27When Jesus stepped on shore, a man from the town came out to meet him. This man was controlled by demons. For a long time he hadn’t worn clothes or lived in a house; instead, he lived among the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet. He shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29The evil spirit was saying this because Jesus had commanded it to come out of the man. Many times it had taken hold of him, so that even though his hands and feet were chained and he was kept under guard, he was able to break his chains. Then the demon would force him to go out into lonely places in the countryside.
30Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And they begged Jesus again and again not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. He allowed this. 33When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank, ran into the lake, and was drowned.
34When those who were tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and countryside. 35The people came out to investigate. When they got to Jesus, they found the man from the town, now free of the demons, sitting at Jesus’ feet. He was dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid. 36Those who’d seen what happened told the others how the man who’d been controlled by the demons had been set free. 37Then all the people who lived in the land of the Gerasenes were so filled with fear that they asked Jesus to go away. So he got into the boat to leave.
38The man who was now free from the demons begged to go with him, but Jesus told him to stay. He said to him, 39“Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went back and told people all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Heals a Dead Girl and a Suffering Woman
40When Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him back, because they had all been waiting for him. 41Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Jesus to come to his house 42because his only daughter, who was about 12 years old, was dying. Jesus went with him, passing through crowds so dense they almost crushed him.
43Among them was a woman who had a sickness that made her bleed. It had lasted for 12 years and no one had been able to heal her. 44She came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel on his clothes, and right away her bleeding stopped.
45“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
Everybody insisted they hadn’t done it. Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pushing against you.”
46But Jesus said, “Someone touched me. I know this because power has gone out from me.”
47The woman realized that she was going to be identified, and so, shaking with fear, she came and fell at Jesus’ feet. In front of everyone, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been healed in an instant. 48Then he said to her, “My daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” the messenger said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”
50Jesus heard this but said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, only believe, and she will be healed.”
51When Jesus arrived at the house, he didn’t let everyone go in with him. He took only Peter, John, and James, along with the child’s father and mother. 52During this time, all the people were crying and sobbing loudly over the girl. “Stop crying.” Jesus said. “She isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.”
53They laughed at him because they knew she was dead. 54But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55Her spirit returned and right away she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56Her parents were amazed, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
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Radiate™ New Testament
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Luke 8
8
1 #
Lk 4.15; Mk 15.40-41; Mt 27.55-56; Lk 23.49. Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3and Jo-anna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them#8.3 Other ancient authorities read him out of their means.
4 #
Mt 13.1-9; Mk 4.1-9. And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5“A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8#Mt 11.15. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 #
Mt 13.10-13; Mk 4.10-12; Is 6.9-10; Jer 5.21; Ezek 12.2. And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11#Mt 13.18-23; Mk 4.13-20. #1 Thess 2.13; 1 Pet 1.23. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. 13And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 #
Mk 4.21; Mt 5.15; Lk 11.33. “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. 17#Mk 4.22-23; Mt 10.26-27; Lk 12.2-3; Eph 5.13. For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. 18#Mk 4.24-25; Mt 13.12; 25.29; Lk 19.26. Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”
19 #
Mt 12.46-50; Mk 3.31-35. Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. 20And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21#Lk 11.28; Jn 15.14. But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
22 #
Mt 8.23-27; Mk 4.35-41; 6.47-52; Jn 6.16-21. One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a storm of wind came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in danger. 24#Lk 5.5; 8.45; 9.33,49; 17.13. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?”
26 #
Mt 8.28-34; Mk 5.1-20. Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes,#8.26 Other ancient authorities read Gadarenes, others Gergesenes which is opposite Galilee. 27And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. 28#Mk 1.24; Jn 2.4. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” 29For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) 30Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes#8.37 Other ancient authorities read Gadarenes, others Gergesenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, 39“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
40 #
Mt 9.18-26; Mk 5.21-43. Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house, 42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As he went, the people pressed round him. 43And a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years#8.43 Other ancient authorities add and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by any one, 44came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45#Lk 8.24. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter#8.45 Other ancient authorities add and those who were with him said, “Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!” 46#Lk 5.17; 6.19. But Jesus said, “Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.” 47And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48#Mt 9.22; Lk 7.50; 17.19; 18.42. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
49While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” 51And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56#Mt 8.4; Mk 3.12; 7.36; Lk 9.21. And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
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