The Parable of the Seed Growing

26 And he said, (A)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; (B)he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once (C)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 (D)And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like (E)a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33 (F)With many such parables he spoke (G)the word to them, (H)as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them (I)without a parable, but (J)privately to his own disciples he (K)explained everything.

Jesus Calms a Storm

35 (L)On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves (M)were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and (N)rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and (O)there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you (P)so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, (Q)“Who then is this, that even (R)the wind and the sea obey him?”

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

(S)They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.[a] And when Jesus[b] had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. (T)He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and (U)fell down before him. And (V)crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, (W)Son of (X)the Most High God? (Y)I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is (Z)Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed[c] man, the one who had had (AA)the legion, sitting there, (AB)clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And (AC)they began to beg Jesus[d] to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and (AD)tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in (AE)the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 5:1 Some manuscripts Gergesenes; some Gadarenes
  2. Mark 5:2 Greek he; also verse 9
  3. Mark 5:15 Greek daimonizomai (demonized); also verses 16, 18; elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons
  4. Mark 5:17 Greek him

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.(A) A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”(B)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed(C)

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,(D) or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(E) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(F) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm(G)

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.(H) There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”(I)

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man(J)(K)

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] When Jesus got out of the boat,(L) a man with an impure spirit(M) came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,(N) Jesus, Son of the Most High God?(O) In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,”(P) he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion(Q) of demons,(R) sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them(S) how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b](T) how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 5:1 Some manuscripts Gadarenes; other manuscripts Gergesenes
  2. Mark 5:20 That is, the Ten Cities