The Demons and the Pigs (Matthew 8:28–34; Luke 8:26–39)
1 UDB Jesus and his disciples arrived on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. People called the Gerasenes lived near the place where they landed. BSB BSB: On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes.
2 UDB When Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man came out from the tombs of a cemetery. Evil spirits controlled the man. BSB BSB: As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.
3 UDB The man was coming out of the cemetery because he lived in tombs. The people knew him and at times they tried to restrain him. They could not restrain him, not even with chains. BSB BSB: This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains.
4 UDB Whenever they used chains and shackles, the man would break them apart. He was so strong that no one was able to subdue him. BSB BSB: Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him.
5 UDB Day and night the man would spend his time in the cemetery. He would scream out loud and cut himself with sharp stones. BSB BSB: Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 UDB When he saw Jesus in the distance getting out of the boat, he ran over to him and knelt before him. BSB BSB: When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him.
7 UDB Jesus had been saying to the evil spirit, "You evil spirit, come out of this man!" But the demon did not leave quickly. It shouted very loudly, "Jesus, I know that you are the Son of God, so we have nothing in common. Leave me alone! In God's name, I beg you. Do not torture me!" BSB BSB: And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”
9 UDB Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion because there are many of us evil spirits in this man." BSB BSB: “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”
10 UDB Then the evil spirits kept asking Jesus fervently that he not send them out of the region. BSB BSB: And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region.
11 UDB At the same time, a large herd of pigs was grazing nearby on the hillside. BSB BSB: There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding.
12 UDB So the evil spirits pleaded with Jesus, "Allow us to go to the pigs in order that we might enter them!" BSB BSB: So the demons begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.”
13 UDB Jesus permitted them to do that. So the evil spirits left the man and entered the pigs. The herd, which numbered about two thousand, rushed down the steep hill into the lake, where they drowned. BSB BSB: He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water.
14 UDB The men who were tending the pigs ran and reported in the town and the countryside what had happened. Many people went to see for themselves what had happened. BSB BSB: 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 UDB They came to the place where Jesus was. Then they saw the man whom evil spirits had previously controlled. He was sitting there with clothes on, and he was mentally sound. They were afraid when they saw all this. BSB BSB: When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16 UDB The people who had seen the events told those who had come from the town and from the countryside about what had happened to the man whom the evil spirits previously controlled. They also described what had happened to the pigs. BSB BSB: Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs.
17 UDB Then the people pleaded with Jesus to leave their region. BSB BSB: And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region.
18 UDB As Jesus got in the boat to leave, the man whom the evil spirits previously controlled begged Jesus, "Please let me go with you!" BSB BSB: As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him.
19 UDB But Jesus did not let him go with him. Instead, he said to him, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and tell them how he has been so kind to you." BSB BSB: But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.”
20 UDB So the man went and traveled around the Ten Towns in that district. He told people how much Jesus had done for him. All the people who heard what the man said were amazed. BSB BSB: So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
The Healing Touch of Jesus (Matthew 9:18–26; Luke 8:40–56)
21 UDB Once more Jesus crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee in a boat. When he arrived, a large crowd gathered around Jesus while he was standing on the shore. BSB BSB: When Jesus had again crossed by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him beside the sea.
22 UDB One of the men, who presided over a synagogue and whose name was Jairus, came there. When he saw Jesus, he knelt at his feet. BSB BSB: A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet
23 UDB Then he pleaded with Jesus earnestly, "My daughter is sick and nearly dead! Please come to my house and place your hands on her. Heal her and make her live!" BSB BSB: and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
24 UDB So Jesus and the disciples went with him. A large crowd followed and many pushed in close to Jesus. BSB BSB: So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him.
25 UDB There was a woman in the crowd who had a bleeding disorder. She had been bleeding every day for twelve years. BSB BSB: And a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years.
26 UDB She had suffered much over the years while doctors treated her. She had spent all her money to pay the doctors, and after all they did to her, she got worse instead of better. BSB BSB: She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.
28 UDB She was thinking, "If I touch him or even if I touch his clothes, it will heal me." So she touched Jesus's clothes. BSB BSB: For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.”
29 UDB At once her bleeding stopped. At the same time, she sensed within herself that she had been cured of her illness. BSB BSB: Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
30 UDB Jesus also immediately sensed within himself that his power had healed someone. So he turned around in the crowd and then he asked, "Who touched my clothes?" BSB BSB: At once Jesus was aware that power had gone out from Him. Turning to the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My garments?”
31 UDB His disciples replied, "You can see that many people are crowding close to you! Probably many people touched you! So why do you ask, 'Who touched me?'" BSB BSB: His disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’”
32 UDB But Jesus kept looking around in order to see the one who had done it. BSB BSB: But He kept looking around to see who had done this.
33 UDB The woman was very afraid and trembling. She knelt before him and told him what she had done. BSB BSB: Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him trembling in fear, and she told Him the whole truth.
34 UDB He said to her, "Daughter, because you have believed that I could heal you, I have now healed you. You may go home with peace in your heart because I promise that you will not be sick with this disease anymore." BSB BSB: “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction.”
35 UDB While Jesus was still speaking to that woman, some people arrived who had come from Jairus's house. They said to Jairus, "Your daughter has now died. So there is no need to bother the teacher any longer, to bring him to your house!" BSB BSB: While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?”
36 UDB But when Jesus heard what these men said, he said to Jairus, "Do not think that the situation is hopeless! Just keep believing that she will live!" BSB BSB: But Jesus overheard their conversation and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”
37 UDB Then he allowed only his three closest disciples—Peter, James, and John—to go with him to Jairus's house. He did not allow any other people to go with him. After they arrived near the house, Jesus saw that the people there were grieving. Some were weeping and others were wailing. BSB BSB: And He did not allow anyone to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.
39 UDB He entered the house and then he said to them, "Why are you so upset and crying? The child is not dead but only sleeping." BSB BSB: He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.”
40 UDB The people laughed at him because they knew that she was dead. He sent all the other people outside the house. Then he took the child's father and mother and the three disciples who were with him. He went into the room where the child was lying. BSB BSB: And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.
42 UDB At once the girl got up and walked around. (It was not surprising that she could walk, because she was twelve years old.) When this happened, all who were present were greatly amazed. BSB BSB: Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). And at once they were utterly astounded.
43 UDB Jesus ordered them strictly, "Do not tell anyone about what I have done!" Then he told them to give the girl something to eat. BSB BSB: Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.