Women Minister to Jesus 3 UST { Another of these women was} Joanna. She was the wife of Chuza, who was a manager for King Herod.{ These women also included} Susanna and many others. They were using their own money to support Jesus and his disciples. BSB BSB: Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.
The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20)
4 UST One day a very large crowd was gathering. People were traveling from many different towns to see Jesus. He told them this story: BSB BSB: While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, He told them this parable:
5 UST “A farmer went out to plant some grain seeds. As he was scattering them over the soil, some of the seeds fell onto the hard pathway. People stepped on those seeds, and birds ate them all up. BSB BSB: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured it.
6 UST Some of the seeds fell on{ shallow soil above a layer of} rock. As soon as those seeds grew, the plants dried up because their roots could not get past the rock to reach to the moisture. BSB BSB: Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture.
7 UST Some of the seeds fell on ground where thorn plants had left their own seeds. The new thorn plants grew up together with the young grain plants. The{ stronger} thorns crowded out the grain plants, so that the grain did not grow well. BSB BSB: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the seedlings.
8 UST But some of the grain seeds fell on fertile soil. They grew so well that they produced a crop that had a hundred times as many seeds.” After saying these things, Jesus called out to the crowd,“You should think carefully about what you just heard me say!” BSB BSB: Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprang up and produced a crop—a hundredfold.” As Jesus said this, He called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 UST Then Jesus’ disciples asked him,“What does that story mean?” BSB BSB: Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant.
10 UST And he said,“God has given you the privilege of knowing hidden things about how God will rule as king. But{ I speak} to everyone else only in parables, so that,‘Although they see, they may not perceive, and although they hear, they may not understand.’ BSB BSB: He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
11 UST Now, this is what the story means: The seeds represent what God wants people to understand. BSB BSB: Now this is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
12 UST The seeds that fell on the pathway{ show what happens when} people understand the message from God only superficially. This makes it easy for the devil to come and take that message away from their minds. As a result, they do not believe it, and so God does not save them. BSB BSB: The seeds along the path are those who hear, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 UST The seeds that fell on the rocky ground{ show what happens when} people hear the message from God and receive it joyfully, but they do not commit themselves seriously. They only believe for a short time. As soon as difficult things happen to them, they stop trusting in God. BSB BSB: The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall away.
14 UST The seeds that fell among the thorny plants{ show what happens to some other} people who hear the message from God. As they go on in life, they allow the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life to occupy all their attention. As a result, they do not become spiritually mature. BSB BSB: The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.
15 UST But the seeds that fell on the fertile ground{ show what happens when} people hear the message about God and accept it with great sincerity. They make a firm commitment, and because they keep this commitment, they become spiritually mature. BSB BSB: But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop.
The Lesson of the Lamp (Mark 4:21–25)
16 UST Think about this. When people light a lamp, they do not cover it with a basket. They do not put it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a lampstand. That way everyone who enters the room can see by its light. BSB BSB: No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light.
17 UST This illustrates that someday everyone will be able to see everything that is now hidden. And someday everyone will see in the open everything that is now secret. BSB BSB: For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.
18 UST So make sure that you are listening carefully{ to what I tell you}, because if someone believes God’ s truth, God will enable him to understand even more. But if someone does not believe God’ s truth, God will cause him not to understand even{ the little} he thinks he has understood.” BSB BSB: Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers (Matthew 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35)
19 UST One day Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they could not get near him because there was{ such} a{ large} crowd{ around him in the house where he was}. BSB BSB: Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they were unable to reach Him because of the crowd.
20 UST Then people told him,“Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” BSB BSB: He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.”
21 UST But he replied to them,“Those who hear the message from God and obey it are as dear to me as my mother and my brothers.” BSB BSB: But He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out.”
Jesus Calms the Storm (Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Mark 4:35–41)
22 UST On another day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples. He said to them,“I would like us to go across to the other side of the lake.” So they started to sail across the lake. BSB BSB: One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So He got into a boat with them and set out.
23 UST But as they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. Then a powerful windstorm began on the lake. Soon the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. BSB BSB: As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 UST So Jesus’ disciples came over to wake him up. They said to him,“Master! Master! We are all going to die!” He woke up and scolded the wind and the violent waves. The wind stopped blowing, the waves stopped hitting the boat, and everything became calm. BSB BSB: The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.
25 UST Then he said to them,“You acted as if you had no faith!” The disciples were alarmed and amazed{ because of what had just happened}. They kept asking each other,“Who could Jesus be? He is able to command even the winds and the waves, and they obey him.” BSB BSB: “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”
The Demons and the Pigs (Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20)
26 UST Jesus and his disciples continued sailing and came to the region where the Gerasene people lived. It was on the opposite side of the lake from the district of Galilee. BSB BSB: Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee.
27 UST When Jesus came out of the boat onto the land, a certain man from the town in that area met him. This man had demons in him. For a long time this man had not worn clothes and had not lived in a house. Instead, he lived in the burial caves. BSB BSB: When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothing or lived in a house, but he stayed in the tombs.
28 UST When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and lay facedown before him. He shouted,“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!” BSB BSB: When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, shouting in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You not to torture me!”
29 UST { The man said this because} Jesus had just commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. In the past, people had bound him with chains and shackles and kept a close watch on him. Even so, many times the evil spirit would suddenly seize him by force. Then the man would break free, and the demon would make him go out into deserted places. BSB BSB: For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.
30 UST Then Jesus asked him,“What is your name?” The demon replied,“{ My name is} Thousands.” He said that because many demons had entered the man. BSB BSB: “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.
31 UST The demons kept begging Jesus not to command them to go into the deep pit where God punishes demons. BSB BSB: And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 UST There was a large herd of pigs grazing on the hillside nearby. The demons begged Jesus to allow them to enter the pigs, and he allowed them. BSB BSB: There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission.
33 UST So the demons left the man and entered the pigs, and the herd of pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. BSB BSB: Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 UST When those who were taking care of the pigs saw what happened, they ran away! They reported what they had seen to all the people who lived around them. BSB BSB: When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside.
35 UST Then the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to where Jesus was, they saw that the man from whom the demons had gone out was sitting at the feet of Jesus. They saw that he had clothes on and his mind was normal again.{ They realized how powerful Jesus must be,} and they became afraid. BSB BSB: So the people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man whom the demons had left, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
36 UST Those who had seen what had happened told the people who had just arrived how Jesus had rescued the man who had been controlled by demons. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, those who had seen it reported how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
37 UST Then many people from that place where the Gerasenes lived asked Jesus to leave their area, because they were very afraid. So Jesus and his disciples got into the boat to go back across the lake. BSB BSB: Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to depart from them, because great fear had taken hold of them. So He got into the boat and started back.
38 UST Before they left, the man from whom the demons had gone out begged Jesus, saying,“Please, let me go with you!” But instead, Jesus sent him away by saying to him, BSB BSB: The man whom the demons had left begged to go with Jesus. But He sent him away, saying,
39 UST “No, go back to your home and tell{ everyone} how much God has done for you!” So the man went away and told people throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. BSB BSB: “Return home and describe how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and proclaimed all over the town how much Jesus had done for him.
The Healing Touch of Jesus (Matthew 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43)
40 UST And when Jesus and his disciples got back across the lake to Capernaum, a crowd of people welcomed them. They had all been waiting for him there. BSB BSB: When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.
41 UST Just then a man named Jairus, who was one of the leaders of the synagogue there, came near to Jesus, and he lay facedown before him. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his house. BSB BSB: Just then a synagogue leader named Jairus came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Him to come to his house,
42 UST He did this because he had an only daughter, who was about 12 years old, and she was dying.{ He wanted Jesus to heal her.} Now as Jesus went{ with him}, many people were crowding around him. BSB BSB: because his only daughter, who was about twelve, was dying. As Jesus went with him, the crowds pressed around Him,
43 UST Now in the crowd there was a woman who had been suffering for 12 years from a disease that caused continual bleeding. She had spent all her money to pay doctors to help her, but none of them was able to heal her. BSB BSB: including a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on physicians, but no one was able to heal her.
44 UST She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his robe. At once her bleeding stopped. BSB BSB: She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 UST Jesus said,“Who touched me?” Everyone{ around Jesus} said that they had not touched him. Peter said,“Master, there are many people crowding around you and pressing up against you.{ So any one of them might have touched you!}” BSB BSB: “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. But they all denied it. “Master,” said Peter, “the people are crowding and pressing against You.”
46 UST But Jesus said,“I know that someone{ deliberately} touched me, because power has gone out from me{ to heal that person}.” BSB BSB: But Jesus declared, “Someone touched Me, for I know that power has gone out from Me.”
47 UST Then the woman realized that she could not hide. She came trembling to Jesus and{ respectfully} lay facedown on the ground before him. As the other people were listening, she explained why she had touched Jesus and how she gotten better immediately. BSB BSB: Then the woman, seeing that she could not escape notice, came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched Him and how she had immediately been healed.
48 UST And Jesus said to her,“My dear woman, because you believed{ that I could heal you}, you are now well. Now go on your way, and may God’ s peace be with you.” BSB BSB: “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49 UST While Jesus was still speaking{ to the woman}, a man from Jairus’ house came and said to Jairus,“Your daughter has died. So do not take up any more of the teacher’ s time.” BSB BSB: While He was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he told Jairus. “Do not bother the Teacher anymore.”
50 UST But when Jesus heard that, he said to Jairus,“Do not be afraid. Just believe{ in me}, and she will live again.” BSB BSB: But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
51 UST When he arrived outside the house, Jesus did not allow anyone to go in the house with him except for Peter, John, and James, and the girl’ s father and mother. BSB BSB: When He entered the house, He did not allow anyone to go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother.
52 UST And all the people there were loudly demonstrating how sad they were that the girl had died. But Jesus said to them,“Stop crying! She is not dead! She is only sleeping!” BSB BSB: Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”
53 UST And the people laughed at him because they knew that the girl was dead. BSB BSB: And they laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 UST But Jesus took hold of her hand and called{ to her}, saying,“Child, get up!” BSB BSB: But Jesus took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!”
55 UST And immediately she came back to life and she got up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. BSB BSB: Her spirit returned, and at once she got up. And He directed that she be given something to eat.
56 UST And her parents were amazed, but Jesus told them not to tell anyone else{ yet} what had happened. BSB BSB: Her parents were astounded, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.