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
Modern English Version
Women Who Accompany Jesus
8 Afterward, He went throughout every city and village, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. With Him were the twelve 2 and some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who supported Him with their possessions.
The Parable of the Sower(A)
4 When a large crowd had gathered together and people were coming to Him from every city, He told this parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on a rock. And as soon as it sprang up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 Yet some fell among thorns. And the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 And other seed fell on good ground and sprang up and yielded a hundred times the amount sown.”
When He had said these things, He cried out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables(B)
9 His disciples asked Him, “What might this parable mean?” 10 He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others they are in parables, so that
‘seeing they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.’[a]
The Parable of the Sower Explained(C)
11 “Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are those who hear. Then comes the devil, who takes away the word from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root, for they believe for a while, then in the time of temptation fall away. 14 That which fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the seed on the good ground are those who, having heard the word, keep it in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patience.
A Light Under a Vessel(D)
16 “No one, when he lights a candle, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a candlestick, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and revealed. 18 Take heed therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given. And whoever has not, from him will be taken even what he thinks he has.”
The Mother and Brothers of Jesus(E)
19 Then His mother and His brothers came to Him, but could not reach Him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”
21 He answered them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
The Calming of a Storm(F)
22 One day He went into a boat with His disciples, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. 23 As they sailed, He fell asleep. Then a wind storm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in danger.
24 They came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?”
Being afraid, they marveled, saying to each other, “Who then is this Man? He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him.”
The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniac(G)
26 They sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is across from Galilee. 27 When He stepped out on land, a man from the city who had demons for a long time met Him. He wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I plead with You, do not torment me.” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. It often had seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles. But he broke the shackles and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
He said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him not to command them to go out into the abyss.
32 There was a large herd of swine feeding on the mountain. They begged Him to permit them to enter them, and He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and reported it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed. 37 Then the whole crowd from the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So He went into the boat and returned.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed asked Him if he could stay with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” So he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Garment(H)
40 When Jesus returned, the crowd gladly received Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As He went, the people crowded Him. 43 And a woman having a hemorrhage for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, but could not be healed by anyone, 44 came behind Him, and touched the fringe of His garment. And immediately her hemorrhage dried up.
45 Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When everyone denied it, Peter and those who were with Him said, “Master, the crowds are pressing against You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out from Me.”
47 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling. And falling down before Him, she declared to Him before all the people why she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 Then He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49 While He was still speaking, someone from the synagogue ruler’s house came, saying to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be made well.”
51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, John and James, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 All wept and mourned for her. But He said, “Do not weep. She is not dead but sleeping.”
53 They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He put them all outside and took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He told them to give her food. 56 Her parents were astonished, but He commanded them to tell no one what had happened.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.