1They arrived on the other side of the lake in the region of the Gerasenes.
2When Jesus got out of the boat a man with an evil spirit came from the graveyard to meet him.
3This man lived among the tombs, and it had been impossible to tie him up any longer, even with a chain.
4He had often been tied up with chains and shackles, but he simply tore the chains apart and broke the shackles into pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.
5Day and night he was always shouting out among the tombs and in the hills nearby, cutting himself with sharp stones.
6Seeing Jesus from a distance he ran and kneeled in front of him.
7In a loud voice he cried out, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of Almighty God? Swear by God that you won't torture me!”
8For Jesus had already told the evil spirit to leave the man.
9Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion, because we are many!” he replied.
10He also repeatedly pleaded with Jesus not to send them a long way away.
11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside nearby.
12The evil spirits pleaded with him, “Send us to the pigs so we can enter them.”
13Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd, about two thousand, rushed down the steep cliff into the sea and drowned.
14The pig-keepers ran away, and spread the news all over town and in the countryside. People came out to see what had happened.
15When they found Jesus they saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting there, dressed, and in his right mind—the one who had the legion of evil spirits—and they became frightened!
16Then those who had seen what had happened to the man who had been demon-possessed and the pigs told the others.
17They began pleading with Jesus to leave their district.
18As Jesus climbed into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.
19But Jesus refused, telling him, “Go home to your own people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has been merciful to you.”
20So the man went on his way and began to tell the people of the Ten Cities everything Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed.
21Jesus went back again by boat to the other side of the lake where a large crowd gathered around him at the shore.
22A synagogue leader, a man named Jairus, came to him. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet
23and pleaded with him, saying, “My little daughter is about to die. Please come and place your hands on her so she may be healed and live.”
24So Jesus went with him. Everybody followed, crowding and jostling him.
25A woman was there who had been ill from bleeding for twelve years.
26She'd suffered considerably under the care of many doctors, and had spent all she had. But nothing helped her—in fact she'd grown worse.
27She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd, and touched his cloak.
28She was telling herself, “If I can just touch his cloak, I'll be healed.”
29The bleeding stopped immediately, and she felt her body healed from her disease.
30Jesus, sensing at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my cloak?”
31“Look at the crowd jostling you. What do you mean, ‘Who touched me?’” the disciples replied.
32But Jesus went on looking around to see who had done it.
33The woman, realizing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
34“My daughter, your trust in me has healed you. Go in peace. You have been completely cured of your disease,” Jesus told her.
35While he was still speaking some people came from the home of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “You don't need to bother the Teacher any longer.”
36But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, “Don't be afraid, just trust in me.”
37He wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and James' brother John.
38When they arrived at the synagogue leader's house, Jesus saw all the commotion, with people crying and wailing.
39He went in and asked them, “Why are you making such a commotion with all this crying? The little girl isn't dead, she's just sleeping.”
40They laughed scornfully at him. Jesus made everyone leave. Then he went into the room where the little girl was lying, taking with him the child's father and mother, and the three disciples.
41Taking the little girl's hand he said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!”
42The little girl, who was twelve years old, got up immediately and began walking around. They were completely astonished at what had happened.
43He gave them strict instructions not to let anyone know, and he told them to give the little girl something to eat.