Mark 5

₁Jesus and his disciples arrived on the other side of Lake Galilee, in the territory of Gerasa. ₂As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, he was met by a man who came out of the burial caves there. This man had an evil spirit in him ₃and lived among the tombs. Nobody could keep him chained up any more; ₄many times his feet and hands had been chained, but every time he broke the chains and smashed the irons on his feet. He was too strong for anyone to control him. ₅Day and night he wandered among the tombs and through the hills, screaming and cutting himself with stones.

₆He was some distance away when he saw Jesus; so he ran, fell on his knees before him, ₇and screamed in a loud voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God! What do you want with me? For God's sake, I beg you, don't punish me!” ₈(He said this because Jesus was saying, “Evil spirit, come out of this man!”)

₉So Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

The man answered, “My name is ‘Mob’ — there are so many of us!” ₁₀And he kept begging Jesus not to send the evil spirits out of that region.

₁₁There was a large herd of pigs near by, feeding on a hillside. ₁₂So the spirits begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, and let us go into them.” ₁₃He let them go, and the evil spirits went out of the man and entered the pigs. The whole herd — about 2,000 pigs in all — rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

₁₄The men who had been taking care of the pigs ran away and spread the news in the town and among the farms. People went out to see what had happened, ₁₅and when they came to Jesus, they saw the man who used to have the mob of demons in him. He was sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were all afraid. ₁₆Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the man with the demons, and about the pigs.

₁₇So they asked Jesus to leave their territory.

₁₈As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had had the demons begged him, “Let me go with you!”

₁₉But Jesus would not let him. Instead, he told him, “Go back home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how kind he has been to you.”

₂₀So the man left and went all through the Ten Towns, telling what Jesus had done for him. And all who heard it were amazed.

₂₁Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake. There at the lakeside a large crowd gathered round him. ₂₂Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, arrived, and when he saw Jesus, he threw himself down at his feet ₂₃and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is very ill. Please come and place your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”

₂₄Then Jesus started off with him. So many people were going along with Jesus that they were crowding him from every side.

₂₅There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, ₂₆even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time. ₂₇She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, ₂₈saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will get well.”

₂₉She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble. ₃₀At once Jesus knew that power had gone out of him, so he turned round in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

₃₁His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding you; why do you ask who touched you?”

₃₂But Jesus kept looking round to see who had done it. ₃₃The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth. ₃₄Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble.”

₃₅While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus' house and told him, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?”

₃₆Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, “Don't be afraid, only believe.” ₃₇Then he did not let anyone else go on with him except Peter and James and his brother John. ₃₈They arrived at Jairus' house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing. ₃₉He went in and said to them, “Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead — she is only sleeping!”

₄₀They laughed at him, so he put them all out, took the child's father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying. ₄₁He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum,” which means, “Little girl, I tell you to get up!”

₄₂She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed. ₄₃But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, “Give her something to eat.”