Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Jesus’ Ministry and the Help of Women
8 Some time[a] afterward[b] he went on through towns[c] and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news[d] of the kingdom of God.[e] The[f] twelve were with him, 2 and also some women[g] who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities:[h] Mary[i] (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna the wife of Cuza[j] (Herod’s[k] household manager),[l] Susanna, and many others who provided for them[m] out of their own resources.
The Parable of the Sower
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus[n] from one town after another,[o] he spoke to them[p] in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow[q] his seed.[r] And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds[s] devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on rock,[t] and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns,[u] and they grew up with it and choked[v] it. 8 But[w] other seed fell on good soil and grew,[x] and it produced a hundred times as much grain.”[y] As he said this,[z] he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”[aa]
9 Then[ab] his disciples asked him what this parable meant.[ac] 10 He[ad] said, “You have been given[ae] the opportunity to know[af] the secrets[ag] of the kingdom of God,[ah] but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.[ai]
11 “Now the parable means[aj] this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil[ak] comes and takes away the word[al] from their hearts, so that they may not believe[am] and be saved. 13 Those[an] on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while,[ao] but[ap] in a time of testing[aq] fall away.[ar] 14 As for the seed that[as] fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but[at] as they go on their way they are choked[au] by the worries and riches and pleasures of life,[av] and their fruit does not mature.[aw] 15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing[ax] the word, cling to it[ay] with an honest and good[az] heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.[ba]
Showing the Light
16 “No one lights[bb] a lamp[bc] and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light.[bd] 17 For nothing is hidden[be] that will not be revealed,[bf] and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. 18 So listen carefully,[bg] for whoever has will be given more, but[bh] whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has[bi] will be taken from him.”
Jesus’ True Family
19 Now Jesus’[bj] mother and his brothers[bk] came to him, but[bl] they could not get near him because of the crowd. 20 So[bm] he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 But he replied[bn] to them, “My mother and my brothers are those[bo] who hear the word of God and do it.”[bp]
Stilling of a Storm
22 One[bq] day Jesus[br] got into a boat[bs] with his disciples and said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” So[bt] they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstorm[bu] came down on the lake,[bv] and the boat[bw] started filling up with water, and they were in danger. 24 They[bx] came[by] and woke him, saying, “Master, Master,[bz] we are about to die!” So[ca] he got up and rebuked[cb] the wind and the raging waves;[cc] they died down, and it was calm. 25 Then[cd] he said to them, “Where is your faith?”[ce] But they were afraid and amazed,[cf] saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water,[cg] and they obey him!”
Healing of a Demoniac
26 So[ch] they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes,[ci] which is opposite[cj] Galilee. 27 As[ck] Jesus[cl] stepped ashore,[cm] a certain man from the town[cn] met him who was possessed by demons.[co] For a long time this man[cp] had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among[cq] the tombs. 28 When he saw[cr] Jesus, he cried out, fell[cs] down before him, and shouted with a loud voice, “Leave me alone,[ct] Jesus, Son of the Most High[cu] God! I beg you, do not torment[cv] me!” 29 For Jesus[cw] had started commanding[cx] the evil[cy] spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so[cz] he would be bound with chains and shackles[da] and kept under guard. But[db] he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted[dc] places.)[dd] 30 Jesus then[de] asked him, “What is your name?” He[df] said, “Legion,”[dg] because many demons had entered him. 31 And they began to beg[dh] him not to order[di] them to depart into the abyss.[dj] 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,[dk] and the demonic spirits[dl] begged Jesus[dm] to let them go into them. He gave them permission.[dn] 33 So[do] the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs[dp] rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned. 34 When[dq] the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and spread the news[dr] in the town[ds] and countryside. 35 So[dt] the people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus. They[du] found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 Those[dv] who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed.[dw] 37 Then[dx] all the people of the Gerasenes[dy] and the surrounding region[dz] asked Jesus[ea] to leave them alone,[eb] for they were seized with great fear.[ec] So[ed] he got into the boat and left.[ee] 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go[ef] with him, but Jesus[eg] sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home,[eh] and declare[ei] what God has done for you.”[ej] So[ek] he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town[el] what Jesus[em] had done for him.
Restoration and Healing
40 Now when Jesus returned,[en] the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him. 41 Then[eo] a man named Jairus, who was a leader[ep] of the synagogue,[eq] came up. Falling[er] at Jesus’ feet, he pleaded[es] with him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.[et]
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds pressed[eu] around him. 43 Now[ev] a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage[ew] for twelve years[ex] but could not be healed by anyone. 44 She[ey] came up behind Jesus[ez] and touched the edge[fa] of his cloak,[fb] and at once the bleeding[fc] stopped. 45 Then[fd] Jesus asked,[fe] “Who was it who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peter[ff] said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing[fg] against you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out[fh] from me.” 47 When[fi] the woman saw that she could not escape notice,[fj] she came trembling and fell down before him. In[fk] the presence of all the people, she explained why[fl] she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed. 48 Then[fm] he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.[fn] Go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the synagogue leader’s[fo] house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 50 But when Jesus heard this, he told[fp] him, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”[fq] 51 Now when he came to the house, Jesus[fr] did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John,[fs] and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Now they were all[ft] wailing and mourning[fu] for her, but he said, “Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep!” 53 And they began making fun[fv] of him, because they knew[fw] that she was dead.[fx] 54 But Jesus[fy] gently took her by the hand and said,[fz] “Child, get up.” 55 Her[ga] spirit returned,[gb] and she got up immediately. Then[gc] he told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her[gd] parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no one[ge] what had happened.
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