Luke 8
Christian Standard Bible
Many Women Support Christ’s Work
8 Afterward he was traveling from one town and village to another,(A) preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God.(B) The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses:(C) Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out(D) of her); 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.
The Parable of the Sower
4 As a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, he said in a parable,(E) 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground; when it grew up, it produced fruit: a hundred times what was sown.”(F) As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”(G)
Why Jesus Used Parables
9 Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?” (H) 10 So he said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you(I) to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that
The Parable of the Sower Explained
11 “This is the meaning of the parable:(K) The seed is the word of God.(L) 12 The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing.(M) 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life,(N) and produce no mature fruit. 15 But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring,(O) produce fruit.
Using Your Light
16 “No one, after lighting a lamp,(P) covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light.(Q) 17 For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and brought to light.(R) 18 Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; (S) and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
True Relationships
19 Then his mother and brothers(T) came to him,(U) but they could not meet with him because of the crowd. 20 He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.”(V)
Wind and Waves Obey Jesus
22 One day he and his disciples got into a boat,(W) and he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.”(X) So they set out, 23 and as they were sailing he fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger. 24 They came and woke him up, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!”
Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm.(Y) 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?”
They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who then is this?(Z) He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him!”
Demons Driven Out by Jesus
26 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[b](AA) which is opposite Galilee. 27 When 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. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out,(AB) fell down before him, and said in a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me,(AC) Jesus, Son of the Most High God?(AD) I beg you, don’t torment me!” 29 For 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,”(AE) he said, because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to banish them to the abyss.(AF)
32 A 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. 33 The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
34 When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and in the countryside. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had departed from, sitting at Jesus’s feet,(AG) dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Meanwhile, the eyewitnesses reported to them how the demon-possessed man was delivered.(AH) 37 Then all the people of the Gerasene region[c] asked him to leave them,(AI) because they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, he returned.
38 The man from whom the demons had departed begged him earnestly 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 how much Jesus had done for him.
A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed
40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him,(AJ) for they were all expecting him.(AK) 41 Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue.(AL) He fell down at Jesus’s feet and pleaded with him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter(AM) about twelve years old, and she was dying.
While he was going, the crowds were nearly crushing him.(AN) 43 A woman suffering from bleeding(AO) for twelve years,(AP) who had spent all she had on doctors[d] and yet could not be healed by any, 44 approached from behind and touched the end of his robe.(AQ) Instantly her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter[e] said, “Master,(AR) the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.”[f]
46 “Someone did touch me,” said Jesus. “I know that power has gone out from me.”(AS) 47 When the woman saw that she was discovered, she 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 healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you.[g] Go in peace.”(AT)
49 While he was still speaking,(AU) someone came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother(AV) the teacher(AW) anymore.”
50 When Jesus heard it, he answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.”[h] 51 After he came to the house, he let no one enter with him except Peter, John, James,(AX) and the child’s father and mother. 52 Everyone was crying(AY) and mourning for her.(AZ) But he said, “Stop crying, because she is not dead but asleep.”(BA)
53 They laughed at him, because they knew she was dead. 54 So he[i] took her by the hand(BB) and called out, “Child, get up!”(BC) 55 Her spirit returned,(BD) and she got up at once. Then he gave orders that she be given something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded, but he instructed them to tell no one what had happened.(BE)
Footnotes
- 8:10 Is 6:9
- 8:26 Other mss read the Gadarenes
- 8:37 Other mss read the Gadarenes
- 8:43 Other mss omit who had spent all she had on doctors
- 8:45 Other mss add and those with him
- 8:45 Other mss add and you say, ‘Who touched me?’
- 8:48 Or has made you well
- 8:50 Or she will be made well
- 8:54 Other mss add having put them all outside
Luke 8
Common English Bible
Women who followed Jesus
8 Soon afterward, Jesus traveled through the cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom. The Twelve were with him, 2 along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. Among them were Mary Magdalene (from whom seven demons had been thrown out), 3 Joanna (the wife of Herod’s servant Chuza), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
Parable of the soils
4 When a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one city after another, he spoke to them in a parable: 5 “A farmer went out to scatter his seed. As he was scattering it, some fell on the path where it was crushed, and the birds in the sky came and ate it. 6 Other seed fell on rock. As it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorns grew with the plants and choked them. 8 Still other seed landed on good soil. When it grew, it produced one hundred times more grain than was scattered.” As he said this, he called out, “Everyone who has ears should pay attention.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “You have been given the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but these mysteries come to everyone else in parables so that when they see, they can’t see, and when they hear, they can’t understand.[a]
11 “The parable means this: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won’t believe and be saved. 13 The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures. 15 The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.
Sharing the light
16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand so that those who enter can see the light. 17 Nothing is hidden that won’t be exposed. Nor is anything concealed that won’t be made known and brought to the light. 18 Therefore, listen carefully. Those who have will receive more, but as for those who don’t have, even what they seem to have will be taken away from them.”
Jesus’ family
19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him but were unable to reach him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who listen to God’s word and do it.”
Jesus calms the sea
22 One day Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat. He said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail.
23 While they were sailing, he fell asleep. Gale-force winds swept down on the lake. The boat was filling up with water and they were in danger. 24 So they went and woke Jesus, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” But he got up and gave orders to the wind and the violent waves. The storm died down and it was calm.
25 He said to his disciples, “Where is your faith?”
Filled with awe and wonder, they said to each other, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!”
Jesus frees a demon-possessed man
26 Jesus and his disciples sailed to the Gerasenes’ land, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a certain man met him. The man was from the city and was possessed by demons. For a long time, he had lived among the tombs, naked and homeless. 28 When he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down before him. Then he shouted, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 He said this because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had taken possession of him, so he would be bound with leg irons and chains and placed under guard. But he would break his restraints, and the demon would force him into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had entered him. 31 They pleaded with him not to order them to go back into the abyss.[b] 32 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission, 33 and the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who tended the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and told the story in the city and in the countryside. 35 People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully dressed and completely sane. They were filled with awe. 36 Those people who had actually seen what had happened told them how the demon-possessed man had been delivered. 37 Then everyone gathered from the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave their area because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and returned across the lake. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged to come along with Jesus as one of his disciples. Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell the story of what God has done for you.” So he went throughout the city proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.
Jesus heals two women
40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they had been waiting for him. 41 A man named Jairus, who was a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a twelve-year-old, was dying.
As Jesus moved forward, he faced smothering crowds. 43 A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent her entire livelihood on doctors, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the hem of his clothes, and at once her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you!”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me.”
47 When the woman saw that she couldn’t escape notice, she came trembling and fell before Jesus. In front of everyone, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.
48 “Daughter, your faith has healed you,” Jesus said. “Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying to Jairus, “Your daughter has died. Don’t bother the teacher any longer.”
50 When Jesus heard this, he responded, “Don’t be afraid; just keep trusting, and she will be healed.”
51 When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 They were all crying and mourning for her, but Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She isn’t dead. She’s only sleeping.”
53 They laughed at him because they knew she was dead.
54 Taking her hand, Jesus called out, “Child, get up.” 55 Her life returned and she got up at once. He directed them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were beside themselves with joy, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.
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