Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting [as a ritual]; and they came and asked Jesus, “Why are John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fasting, but Your disciples are not doing so?”

Jesus answered, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast while the bridegroom is [still] with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read [in the Scriptures] what David did when he was in need and was hungry, he and his companions;

Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

Again Jesus went into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered.

The Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him [in the Jewish high court].

Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a large crowd from Galilee followed Him; and also people from Judea,

Jesus sternly warned them [again and again] not to tell who He was.

Then He came to a house [in Capernaum], and a crowd formed again, so [many people] that Jesus and His disciples could not even eat a meal [together].

[Jesus said this] because the scribes and Pharisees were [attributing His miracles to Satan by] saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Parable of the Sower and Soils

Again Jesus began to teach beside the sea [of Galilee]. And a very large crowd gathered around Him, so He got into a boat [anchoring it a short distance out] on the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore.

With many such parables, Jesus spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear and understand it;

Jesus Stills the Sea

On that [same] day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee].”

But Jesus was in the stern, asleep [with His head] on the [sailor’s leather] cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?”

Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence [in Me]?”

When Jesus got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him,

Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him [in homage];

and screaming with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have in common with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you by God [swear to me], do not torment me!”

For Jesus had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Jesus gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out [of the man] and entered the pigs. The herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea; and they were drowned [one after the other] in the sea.

They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had [previously] had the “legion” [of demons]; and they were frightened.

So the people began to beg with Jesus to leave their region.

Jesus did not let him [come], but [instead] He said to him, “Go home to your family and tell them all the great things that the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.”

So he [obeyed and] went away and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten Hellenistic cities] all the great things that Jesus had done for him; and all the people were astonished.

Miracles and Healing

When Jesus had again crossed over in the boat to the other side [of the sea], a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore.