撒种的比喻

此后,耶稣到各城镇去传扬上帝国的福音。同行的有十二使徒, 还有几个曾被邪灵和疾病缠身、现在已被医治的妇女。其中有抹大拉的玛丽亚,耶稣曾经从她身上赶出七个鬼, 还有希律的管家苦撒的妻子约亚拿,此外还有苏撒拿等其他妇女。她们用自己的钱财资助耶稣和门徒。

那时,人群络绎不绝地从各地聚集到耶稣面前,耶稣用比喻教导他们,说: “有一个农夫到田里撒种,有些种子落在路旁,被人践踏,又被飞鸟吃掉了; 有些落在盖着浅土的石头地上,因水分不足,幼苗刚长出来就枯萎了; 有些落在荆棘丛中,荆棘长起来便把幼苗挤住了; 有些落在沃土里,发芽生长,结出百倍的果实。”耶稣讲完这番话后,高声说:“有耳可听的,就要留心听。”

门徒请耶稣解释这比喻的意思, 10 耶稣便说:“上帝国的奥秘只让你们知道,对其他人,我就用比喻,使他们看却看不见,听却听不明白。 11 这个比喻的意思是这样,种子代表上帝的道, 12 种子落在路旁是指人听了道,随后魔鬼来把道从他们心里夺走了,不让他们相信并得救。 13 种子落在盖着浅土的石头地上是指人听了道,欣然接受了,但是没有根基,只是暂时相信,一遇到试炼就放弃了。 14 种子落在荆棘丛中是指人听了道,后来被生活的忧虑、钱财和享乐缠住了,以致结不出成熟的果实来。 15 种子落在沃土里则是指人听了道,用诚实良善的心坚忍持守,至终结出果实。

点灯的比喻

16 “没有人点了灯,却用器皿把它盖起来或放到床底下,而是放在灯台上,使进来的人能见到光。 17 掩盖的事终会暴露出来,隐藏的秘密终会被人知道。 18 因此,你们要留心听,因为凡有的,还要给他更多;凡没有的,连他自以为已经拥有的也要被夺去。”

耶稣的亲属

19 这时,耶稣的母亲和兄弟来找祂,由于人太多,他们无法靠近耶稣, 20 有人就对祂说:“你的母亲和兄弟在外面想见你。” 21 耶稣却说:“听见上帝的话语并遵行的人就是我的母亲、我的弟兄。”

平静风浪

22 有一天,耶稣对门徒说:“我们到湖的对岸去吧。”于是他们坐船前往对岸。 23 途中耶稣睡着了。不料湖上忽然狂风大作,船灌满了水,非常危险。 24 门徒过来唤醒耶稣,说:“主啊,主啊!我们快淹死了!”

耶稣醒来,就斥责风浪,顿时风平浪静了。

25 耶稣对他们说:“你们的信心在哪里呢?”

门徒又惊又怕,彼此议论说:“祂究竟是谁?一发命令,连风浪都听祂的!”

格拉森赶鬼

26 他们渡过加利利湖,到了格拉森地区。 27 耶稣上岸后,迎面遇见当地一个被鬼附身的人。那人长期赤身露体,不住在房屋里,只住在墓穴中。 28 他一见到耶稣,就扑倒在祂面前,高声喊叫:“至高上帝的儿子耶稣,我和你有什么关系?求求你,不要折磨我!” 29 这是因为耶稣已命令污鬼离开那人。那人多次被污鬼操纵,人们用铁链脚镣把他锁起来看管,他竟把锁链也扯断,被鬼催逼到荒野。

30 耶稣问他:“你叫什么名字?”

他说:“我叫‘群’。”因为有一大群鬼附在那人身上。 31 鬼不断央求耶稣不要叫它们到无底坑去。

32 当时有一大群猪在附近山坡上觅食,污鬼就央求耶稣准许它们进入猪群,耶稣答应了。 33 于是那群鬼便离开那人,进入猪群。那群猪就一路奔下陡坡,冲进湖里淹死了。 34 放猪的人见此情形拔腿就跑,把这事告诉了城里和乡下的人。 35 人们出来看个究竟,到了耶稣那里,发现那曾被鬼附身的人衣着整齐、神智清醒地坐在耶稣脚前,他们都很害怕。 36 目击者把事情的始末告诉了他们。 37 格拉森地区的居民都十分害怕,请求耶稣离开那里,耶稣便乘船回去了。

38 那从前被鬼附身的人恳求跟耶稣同行,耶稣却对他说: 39 “你回家吧,把上帝为你所行的奇事告诉别人。”他就回去,走遍全城,四处传扬耶稣为他所行的奇事。

雅鲁求救

40 耶稣回到对岸,受到等候在那里的百姓的欢迎。 41 一个名叫雅鲁的会堂主管走过来俯伏在耶稣脚前,求耶稣到他家去,因为他有一个大约十二岁的独生女快要死了。

42 耶稣前去雅鲁家的时候,人群拥挤着祂。

患血漏病妇人的信心

43 有一个患了十二年血漏病的妇人耗尽了积蓄,到处求医,但没有人能医治她。 44 妇人挤到耶稣的背后,摸了一下祂衣服的穗边,她的血漏立刻止住了。

45 耶稣问:“谁摸我?”没有人说摸过祂。

彼得说:“老师,众人都在拥挤你。”

46 耶稣却说:“一定有人摸了我,因为我感觉有能力从我身上出去。”

47 那妇人知道无法隐瞒,就战战兢兢地走过来,俯伏在耶稣脚前,把她摸了耶稣的衣裳后顽疾马上痊愈的始末当众说了出来。

48 耶稣对她说:“女儿,你的信心救了你!安心回去吧。”

雅鲁女儿死而复活

49 耶稣还在说话的时候,有人从雅鲁家赶来,对雅鲁说:“你的女儿已经死了,不用麻烦老师了。”

50 耶稣听见,就对雅鲁说:“不要怕,只要信。你的女儿一定会好的!”

51 到了雅鲁家,耶稣只准彼得、雅各、约翰和雅鲁夫妇跟祂进去。 52 屋内的人都在为那女孩哀伤哭泣,耶稣说:“不要哭,她没有死,只是睡着了。” 53 众人就讥笑祂,因为他们明明知道那女孩死了。 54 耶稣拉着那女孩的手,说:“孩子,起来!” 55 她的灵魂就回来了,她立刻站了起来。耶稣吩咐人给她东西吃。 56 她的父母非常惊讶,耶稣却嘱咐他们不要把这事传开。

And it came to pass thereafter, that he was going through every city and village, preaching and proclaiming good news of the reign of God, and the twelve [are] with him,

and certain women, who were healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary who is called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone forth,

and Joanna wife of Chuza, steward of Herod, and Susanna, and many others, who were ministering to him from their substance.

And a great multitude having gathered, and those who from city and city were coming unto him, he spake by a simile:

`The sower went forth to sow his seed, and in his sowing some indeed fell beside the way, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the heaven did devour it.

`And other fell upon the rock, and having sprung up, it did wither, through not having moisture.

`And other fell amidst the thorns, and the thorns having sprung up with it, did choke it.

`And other fell upon the good ground, and having sprung up, it made fruit an hundred fold.' These things saying, he was calling, `He having ears to hear -- let him hear.'

And his disciples were questioning him, saying, `What may this simile be?'

10 And he said, `To you it hath been given to know the secrets of the reign of God, and to the rest in similes; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

11 `And this is the simile: The seed is the word of God,

12 and those beside the way are those hearing, then cometh the Devil, and taketh up the word from their heart, lest having believed, they may be saved.

13 `And those upon the rock: They who, when they may hear, with joy do receive the word, and these have no root, who for a time believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 `And that which fell to the thorns: These are they who have heard, and going forth, through anxieties, and riches, and pleasures of life, are choked, and bear not to completion.

15 `And that in the good ground: These are they, who in an upright and good heart, having heard the word, do retain [it], and bear fruit in continuance.

16 `And no one having lighted a lamp doth cover it with a vessel, or under a couch doth put [it]; but upon a lamp-stand he doth put [it], that those coming in may see the light,

17 for nothing is secret, that shall not become manifest, nor hid, that shall not be known, and become manifest.

18 `See, therefore, how ye hear, for whoever may have, there shall be given to him, and whoever may not have, also what he seemeth to have, shall be taken from him.'

19 And there came unto him his mother and brethren, and they were not able to get to him because of the multitude,

20 and it was told him, saying, `Thy mother and thy brethren do stand without, wishing to see thee;'

21 and he answering said unto them, `My mother and my brethren! they are those who the word of God are hearing, and doing.'

22 And it came to pass, on one of the days, that he himself went into a boat with his disciples, and he said unto them, `We may go over to the other side of the lake;' and they set forth,

23 and as they are sailing he fell deeply asleep, and there came down a storm of wind to the lake, and they were filling, and were in peril.

24 And having come near, they awoke him, saying, `Master, master, we perish;' and he, having arisen, rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there came a calm,

25 and he said to them, `Where is your faith?' and they being afraid did wonder, saying unto one another, `Who, then, is this, that even the winds he doth command, and the water, and they obey him?'

26 And they sailed down to the region of the Gadarenes, that is over-against Galilee,

27 and he having gone forth upon the land, there met him a certain man, out of the city, who had demons for a long time, and with a garment was not clothed, and in a house was not abiding, but in the tombs,

28 and having seen Jesus, and having cried out, he fell before him, and with a loud voice, said, `What -- to me and to thee, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I beseech thee, mayest thou not afflict me!'

29 For he commanded the unclean spirit to come forth from the man, for many times it had caught him, and he was being bound with chains and fetters -- guarded, and breaking asunder the bonds he was driven by the demons to the deserts.

30 And Jesus questioned him, saying, `What is thy name?' and he said, `Legion,' (because many demons were entered into him,)

31 and he was calling on him, that he may not command them to go away to the abyss,

32 and there was there a herd of many swine feeding in the mountain, and they were calling on him, that he might suffer them to enter into these, and he suffered them,

33 and the demons having gone forth from the man, did enter into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep to the lake, and were choked.

34 And those feeding [them], having seen what was come to pass, fled, and having gone, told [it] to the city, and to the fields;

35 and they came forth to see what was come to pass, and they came unto Jesus, and found the man sitting, out of whom the demons had gone forth, clothed, and right-minded, at the feet of Jesus, and they were afraid;

36 and those also having seen [it], told them how the demoniac was saved.

37 And the whole multitude of the region of the Gadarenes round about asked him to go away from them, because with great fear they were pressed, and he having entered into the boat, did turn back.

38 And the man from whom the demons had gone forth was beseeching of him to be with him, and Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 `Turn back to thy house, and tell how great things God did to thee;' and he went away through all the city proclaiming how great things Jesus did to him.

40 And it came to pass, in the turning back of Jesus, the multitude received him, for they were all looking for him,

41 and lo, there came a man, whose name [is] Jairus, and he was a chief of the synagogue, and having fallen at the feet of Jesus, was calling on him to come to his house;

42 because he had an only daughter about twelve years [old], and she was dying. And in his going away, the multitudes were thronging him,

43 and a woman, having an issue of blood for twelve years, who, having spent on physicians all her living, was not able to be healed by any,

44 having come near behind, touched the fringe of his garment, and presently the issue of her blood stood.

45 And Jesus said, `Who [is] it that touched me?' and all denying, Peter and those with him said, `Master, the multitudes press thee, and throng [thee], and thou dost say, Who [is] it that touched me!'

46 And Jesus said, `Some one did touch me, for I knew power having gone forth from me.'

47 And the woman, having seen that she was not hid, trembling, came, and having fallen before him, for what cause she touched him declared to him before all the people, and how she was healed presently;

48 and he said to her, `Take courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee, be going on to peace.'

49 While he is yet speaking, there doth come a certain one from the chief of the synagogue's [house], saying to him -- `Thy daughter hath died, harass not the Teacher;'

50 and Jesus having heard, answered him, saying, `Be not afraid, only believe, and she shall be saved.'

51 And having come to the house, he suffered no one to go in, except Peter, and James, and John, and the father of the child, and the mother;

52 and they were all weeping, and beating themselves for her, and he said, `Weep not, she did not die, but doth sleep;

53 and they were deriding him, knowing that she did die;

54 and he having put all forth without, and having taken hold of her hand, called, saying, `Child, arise;'

55 and her spirit came back, and she arose presently, and he directed that there be given to her to eat;

56 and her parents were amazed, but he charged them to say to no one what was come to pass.