Luke 8
New Matthew Bible
Christ, with his apostles, goes from town to town and preaches, explains the parable of the seed, says who is his mother and his brother, and stills the raging of the sea. He delivers the possessed man and drives the devils into the herd of swine, and helps the sick woman and Jairus’ daughter.
8 And it happened after that, that he went throughout cities and towns, preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to them from their substance.
4 When crowds of people were gathered together, having come to him out of all places, he spoke by a similitude: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden under foot, and the fowls of the air devoured it up. 6 And some fell on stone, and as soon as it had sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold.
And as he said these things, he called: He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
9 His disciples asked him, saying, What manner of similitude is this? 10 And he said, To you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they remain in similitudes, so that when they see, they will not see, and when they hear, they will not understand.
11 The similitude is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those who are beside the way are the people that hear, but afterward the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 Those on the stones are people who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. But these have no roots, and for a while believe, but in time of trial go away. 14 As for that which fell among thorns, this is those who hear and go forth, but are choked with cares, and with riches and voluptuous living, and bring forth no fruit. 15 As for that in the good ground, this is those who with a good and pure heart hear the word, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 No man lights a candle and covers it under a vessel, neither puts it under the table, but sets it on a candlestick, so that those who enter in may see the light. 17 Nothing is in secret that may not become clear, nor anything hid that may not be known and come to light. 18 Take heed therefore how you hear. For whosoever has, to him will be given, and whosoever has not, from him shall be taken even that same which he supposes that he has.
19 Then Jesus’ mother and his brethren came looking for him, but could not come in to him because of the press of people. 20 And they told him, saying, Your mother and your brethren are standing outside and want to see you. 21 He answered and said to them, My mother and my brethren are these who hear the word of God and do it.
22 And it happened on a certain day that he got into a boat, and his disciples also, and he said to them, Let us go over to the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23 And as they sailed, he fell asleep. And there arose a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy. 24 And the disciples went to him and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we are lost! Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the tempest of water, and they ceased, and it became calm. 25 And he said to them, Where is your faith?
They feared and wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this? For he commands both the winds and water, and they obey him.
26 And they sailed to the region of the Gadarenes, which is across from Galilee. 27 And as he went out to land, there met him a certain man from the place, who had for a long time had a devil. And he wore no clothes; neither did he live in a house, but among graves. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the God Most High? I beseech you, torment me not! 29 For Jesus commanded the foul spirit to come out of the man. For it often affected him violently, and he was bound with chains and kept with shackles, but he broke the bonds, and was carried by the fiend into wilderness areas.
30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is your name? And he said, Legion (because many devils were entered into him). 31 And the devils besought Jesus not to command them to go out into the deep. 32 There was nearby a herd of many swine feeding on a hill, and the devils besought him to suffer them to enter into the swine. And he suffered them. 33 Then the devils went out of the man and entered into the swine. And the herd took their course and ran headlong into the lake, and were drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the town and in the villages. 35 And people came out to see what had been done, and came to Jesus, and found the man out of whom the devils were departed sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those also who had witnessed it told them how the demon-possessed man was healed. 37 And all the whole population from the country of the Gadarenes besought Jesus to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear.
And he got into the boat and turned back again. 38 Then the man from whom the devils were departed asked him if he could be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 Go home again into your own house, and show what great things God has done for you.
And the man went his way, and preached throughout all the city about the great things Jesus had done for him.
40 And it came to pass that, when Jesus arrived back again, the people received him gladly, for they were all awaiting him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus (and he was a leader of the synagogue), and he fell down at Jesus’ feet and besought him to come to his house. 42 For he had but a daughter only, about twelve years of age, and she lay dying.
And as he went, the people thronged him. 43 And a woman who had for twelve years had an issue of blood (who had spent all her substance on physicians, but could not be helped by any) 44 came behind him and touched the hem of his garment, and immediately her issue of blood was stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me? When everyone denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, Master, the people throng you and crowd you, and you say, Who touched me? 46 And Jesus said, Somebody touched me. For I can tell that power has gone out of me.
47 When the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling and fell at his feet, and told him before all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said to her, Daughter, be of good comfort. Your faith has made you whole. Go in peace.
49 While he was yet speaking, a person from the house of the synagogue leader came and said to him, Your daughter is dead; don’t trouble the Master. 50 When Jesus heard that, he spoke to the father, saying, Fear not; only believe, and she shall be made whole.
51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52 Everybody wept and sorrowed for her. And he said, Weep not, for she is not dead, but sleeping. 53 And they laughed him to scorn, because they knew that she was dead. 54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand and called, saying, Maiden, arise! 55 And her spirit came back, and she rose up straightaway. And he said to give her food. 56 And her father and mother were astonished. But he charged them to tell no one what had been done.
Luke 8
International Children’s Bible
The Group with Jesus
8 The next day, while Jesus was traveling through some cities and small towns, he preached and told the Good News about God’s kingdom. The 12 apostles were with him. 2 There were also some women with him who had been healed of sicknesses and evil spirits. One of the women was Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out. 3 Also among the women were Joanna, the wife of Chuza (Herod’s helper), Susanna, and many other women. These women used their own money to help Jesus and his apostles.
A Story About Planting Seed
4 A great crowd gathered. People were coming to Jesus from every town. He told them this story:
5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. While he was planting, some seed fell beside the road. People walked on the seed, and the birds ate all this seed. 6 Some seed fell on rock. It began to grow but then died because it had no water. 7 Some seed fell among thorny weeds. This seed grew, but later the weeds choked the good plants. 8 And some seed fell on good ground. This seed grew and made 100 times more grain.”
Jesus finished the story. Then he called out, “Let those with ears use them and listen!”
9 Jesus’ followers asked him, “What does this story mean?”
10 Jesus said, “You have been chosen to know the secret truths of the kingdom of God. But I use stories to speak to other people. I do this so that:
‘They will look, but they may not see.
They will listen, but they may not understand.’ Isaiah 6:9
11 “This is what the story means: The seed is God’s teaching. 12 What is the seed that fell beside the road? It is like the people who hear God’s teaching, but then the devil comes and takes it away from their hearts. So they cannot believe the teaching and be saved. 13 What is the seed that fell on rock? It is like those who hear God’s teaching and accept it gladly. But they don’t have deep roots. They believe for a while, but then trouble comes. They stop believing and turn away from God. 14 What is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? It is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing. So they never produce good fruit. 15 And what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That is like those who hear God’s teaching with a good, honest heart. They obey God’s teaching and patiently produce good fruit.
Use What You Have
16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. Instead, he puts the lamp on a lampstand so that those who come in will have enough light to see. 17 Everything that is hidden will become clear. Every secret thing will be made known. 18 So be careful how you listen. The person who has something will be given more. But to the person who has nothing, this will happen: Even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
Jesus’ True Family
19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. There was such a crowd that they could not get to him. 20 Someone said to Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to see you.”
21 Jesus answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who listen to God’s teaching and obey it!”
Jesus Stops a Storm
22 One day Jesus and his followers got into a boat. He said to them, “Come with me across the lake.” And so they started across. 23 While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A big storm blew up on the lake. The boat began to fill with water, and they were in danger.
24 The followers went to Jesus and woke him. They said, “Master! Master! We will drown!”
Jesus got up and gave a command to the wind and the waves. The wind stopped, and the lake became calm. 25 Jesus said to his followers, “Where is your faith?”
The followers were afraid and amazed. They said to each other, “What kind of man is this? He commands the wind and the water, and they obey him!”
A Man with Demons Inside Him
26 Jesus and his followers sailed across the lake from Galilee to the area where the Gerasene[a] people live. 27 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man from the town came to Jesus. This man had demons inside him. For a long time he had worn no clothes. He lived in the burial caves, not in a house. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him. The man said with a loud voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please don’t punish me!” 29 He said this because Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. Many times it had taken hold of him. He had been kept under guard and chained hand and foot. But he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon out into the desert.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
The man answered, “Legion.”[b] (He said his name was “Legion” because many demons were in him.) 31 The demons begged Jesus not to send them into eternal darkness.[c] 32 On the hill there was a large herd of pigs eating. The demons begged Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs. So Jesus allowed them to do this. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs. The herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. All the pigs drowned.
34 The men who took care of the pigs ran away. They told about this in the town and the countryside. 35 And people went to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man sitting there at Jesus’ feet. The man was clothed and in his right mind because the demons were gone. But the people were frightened. 36 The men who saw these things happen told the others all about how Jesus had made the man well. 37 All the people of the Gerasene country asked Jesus to go away. They were all very afraid. So Jesus got into the boat and went back across the lake.
38 The man that Jesus had healed begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Go back home and tell people what God did for you.” So the man went all over town telling how much Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
40 When Jesus got back to the other side of the lake, a crowd welcomed him. Everyone was waiting for him. 41 A man named Jairus came to Jesus. Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue. He bowed down at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house. 42 Jairus had only one daughter. She was 12 years old, and she was dying.
While Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house, the people were crowding all around him. 43 A woman was there who had been bleeding for 12 years. She had spent all her money on doctors, but no doctor was able to heal her. 44 The woman came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his coat. At that moment, her bleeding stopped. 45 Then Jesus said, “Who touched me?”
All the people said they had not touched Jesus. Peter said, “Master, the people are all around you and are pushing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me! I felt power go out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she could not hide, she came forward, shaking. She bowed down before Jesus. While all the people listened, she told why she had touched him. Then, she said, she was healed immediately. 48 Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, you are healed because you believed. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue ruler and said to the ruler, “Your daughter has died! Don’t bother the teacher now.”
50 When Jesus heard this, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe, and your daughter will be well.”
51 Jesus went to the house. He let only Peter, John, James, and the girl’s father and mother go inside with him. 52 All the people were crying and feeling sad because the girl was dead. But Jesus said, “Don’t cry. She is not dead; she is only sleeping.”
53 The people laughed at Jesus because they knew that the girl was dead. 54 But Jesus took her by the hand and called to her, “My child, stand up!” 55 Her spirit came back into her, and she stood up immediately. Jesus said, “Give her something to eat.” 56 The girl’s parents were amazed. Jesus told them not to tell anyone about what happened.
Footnotes
- 8:26 Gerasene From Gerasa, an area southeast of Lake Galilee. The exact location is uncertain and some Greek copies read “Gadarene”; others read “Gergesene.”
- 8:30 “Legion” Means very many. A legion was about 5,000 men in the Roman army.
- 8:31 eternal darkness Literally, “the abyss,” something like a pit or a hole that has no end.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
