²³ Now there was a man in their synagogue with an ^(A)unclean spirit. And he cried out, ²⁴ saying, “Let us alone! ^(B)What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I ^(C)know who You are—the ^(D)Holy One of God!”

²⁵ But Jesus ^(E)rebuked him, saying, ^[a]“Be quiet, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And when the unclean spirit ^(F)had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. ²⁷ Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ^[b]“What is this? What new ^[c]doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

A Demon-Possessed Man Healed^(A)

5 Then ^(B)they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the ^[a]Gadarenes. ² And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an ^(C)unclean spirit, ³ who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind ^[b]him, not even with chains, ⁴ because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. ⁵ And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. ⁷ And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I ^(D)implore^[c] You by God that You do not torment me.”

⁸ For He said to him, ^(E)“Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” ⁹ Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰ Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

¹¹ Now a large herd of ^(F)swine was feeding there near the mountains. ¹² So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” ¹³ And ^[d]at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

¹⁴ So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been ^(G)demon-possessed and had the legion, ^(H)sitting and ^(I)clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. ¹⁷ Then ^(J)they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

¹⁸ And when He got into the boat, ^(K)he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. ¹⁹ However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” ²⁰ And he departed and began to ^(L)proclaim in ^[e]Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all ^(M)marveled.

A Boy Is Healed^(A)

^14 (B)And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵ Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. ¹⁶ And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”

¹⁷ Then ^(C)one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁸ And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

¹⁹ He answered him and said, “O ^(D)faithless^[a] generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I ^[b]bear with you? Bring him to Me.” ²⁰ Then they brought him to Him. And ^(E)when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

²¹ So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

And he said, “From childhood. ²² And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

²³ Jesus said to him, ^(F)“If^[c] you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; ^(G)help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He ^(H)rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” ²⁶ Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

^28 (I)And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

²⁹ So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but ^(J)prayer ^[d]and fasting.”