Luke 8
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Many Women Support Christ’s Work
8 Soon 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 flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable:(E) 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6 Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up, it withered, since it lacked moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground; when it sprang up, it produced a crop: 100 times what was sown.”(F) As He said this, He called out, “Anyone who has ears to hear should 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:[b](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, welcome the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and depart 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,[c] having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring,(O) bear 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 come 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 Wave Obey the Master
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 can this be?[d](Z) He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey Him!”
Demons Driven Out by the Master
26 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[e](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,[f](AC) Jesus, You 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’ 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[g] 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 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
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’ feet and pleaded with Him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter(AM) about 12 years old, and she was at death’s door.[h]
While He was going, the crowds were nearly crushing Him.(AN) 43 A woman suffering from bleeding(AO) for 12 years,(AP) who had spent all she had on doctors[i] yet could not be healed by any, 44 approached from behind and touched the tassel of His robe.(AQ) Instantly her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter[j] said, “Master,(AR) the crowds are hemming You in and pressing against You.”[k]
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,[l] 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 cured. 48 “Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well.[m] Go in peace.”(AT)
49 While He was still speaking,(AU) someone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying, “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 made well.” 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, for she is not dead but asleep.”(BA)
53 They started laughing at Him, because they knew she was dead. 54 So He[n] 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
- Luke 8:10 Is 6:9
- Luke 8:11 Lit But this is the parable:
- Luke 8:15 Or these are the kind who
- Luke 8:25 Lit Who then is this?
- Luke 8:26 Other mss read the Gadarenes
- Luke 8:28 Lit What to me and to You
- Luke 8:37 Other mss read the Gadarenes
- Luke 8:42 Lit she was dying
- Luke 8:43 Other mss omit who had spent all she had on doctors
- Luke 8:45 Other mss add and those with him
- Luke 8:45 Other mss add and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’
- Luke 8:47 Lit she had not escaped notice
- Luke 8:48 Or has saved you
- Luke 8:54 Other mss add having put them all outside
Luke 8
The Message
8 1-3 He continued according to plan, traveled to town after town, village after village, preaching God’s kingdom, spreading the Message. The Twelve were with him. There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company.
The Story of the Seeds
4-8 As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along. He addressed them, using this story: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
9 His disciples asked, “Why did you tell this story?”
10 He said, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren’t going to get it:
Their eyes are open but don’t see a thing,
Their ears are open but don’t hear a thing.
11-12 “This story is about some of those people. The seed is the Word of God. The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won’t believe and be saved.
13 “The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.
14 “And the seed that fell in the weeds—well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.
15 “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.
Misers of What You Hear
16-18 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We’re not keeping secrets; we’re telling them. We’re not hiding things; we’re bringing everything out into the open. So be careful that you don’t become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”
19-20 His mother and brothers showed up but couldn’t get through to him because of the crowd. He was given the message, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are the ones who hear and do God’s Word. Obedience is thicker than blood.”
22-24 One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
Getting to his feet, he told the wind, “Silence!” and the waves, “Quiet down!” They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.
25 Then he said to his disciples, “Why can’t you trust me?”
They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, “Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!”
The Madman and the Pigs
26-29 They sailed on to the country of the Gerasenes, directly opposite Galilee. As he stepped out onto land, a madman from town met him; he was a victim of demons. He hadn’t worn clothes for a long time, nor lived at home; he lived in the cemetery. When he saw Jesus he screamed, fell before him, and howled, “What business do you have messing with me? You’re Jesus, Son of the High God, but don’t give me a hard time!” (The man said this because Jesus had started to order the unclean spirit out of him.) Time after time the demon threw the man into convulsions. He had been placed under constant guard and tied with chains and shackles, but crazed and driven wild by the demon, he would shatter the bonds.
30-31 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Mob. My name is Mob,” he said, because many demons afflicted him. And they begged Jesus desperately not to order them to the bottomless pit.
32-33 A large herd of pigs was grazing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged Jesus to order them into the pigs. He gave the order. It was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the lake and drowned.
34-36 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had been sent, sitting there at Jesus’ feet, wearing decent clothes and making sense. It was a holy moment, and for a short time they were more reverent than curious. Then those who had seen it happen told how the demoniac had been saved.
37-39 Later, a great many people from the Gerasene countryside got together and asked Jesus to leave—too much change, too fast, and they were scared. So Jesus got back in the boat and set off. The man whom he had delivered from the demons asked to go with him, but he sent him back, saying, “Go home and tell everything God did in you.” So he went back and preached all over town everything Jesus had done in him.
His Touch
40-42 On his return, Jesus was welcomed by a crowd. They were all there expecting him. A man came up, Jairus by name. He was president of the meeting place. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his home because his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, was dying. Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd.
43-45 In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, “Who touched me?”
When no one stepped forward, Peter said, “But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.”
46 Jesus insisted, “Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.”
47 When the woman realized that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story—why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed.
48 Jesus said, “Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!”
49 While he was still talking, someone from the leader’s house came up and told him, “Your daughter died. No need now to bother the Teacher.”
50-51 Jesus overheard and said, “Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right.” Going into the house, he wouldn’t let anyone enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s parents.
52-53 Everyone was crying and carrying on over her. Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She didn’t die; she’s sleeping.” They laughed at him. They knew she was dead.
54-56 Then Jesus, gripping her hand, called, “My dear child, get up.” She was up in an instant, up and breathing again! He told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were ecstatic, but Jesus warned them to keep quiet. “Don’t tell a soul what happened in this room.”
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