1They came to the other side of the sea – the region of the Gerasenes;
2and, as soon as Jesus had got out of the boat, he met a man coming out of the tombs, who was under the power of a foul spirit,
3and who made his home in the tombs. No one had ever been able to secure him, even with a chain;
4for, though he had many times been left secured with fetters and chains, he had snapped the chains and broken the fetters to pieces, and no one could master him.
5Night and day alike, he was continually shrieking in the tombs and among the hills, and cutting himself with stones.
6Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed to the ground before him,
7shrieking out in a loud voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God’s sake do not torment me!’
8For Jesus had said, ‘Come out from the man, you foul spirit.’
9And he asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘My name,’ he said, ‘is Legion, for there are many of us;’
10and he begged Jesus again and again not to send them away out of that country.
11There was a large herd of pigs close by, feeding on the hillside;
12and the spirits begged Jesus, ‘Send us into the pigs so that we can take possession of them.’
13Jesus gave them leave. They came out, and entered into the pigs; and the herd – about two thousand in number – rushed down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea.
14Then the men who tended them ran away, and carried the news to the town, and to the country round; and the people went to see what had happened.
15When they came to Jesus, they found the possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind – the man who had had the “Legion” in him – and they were awe-struck.
16Then those who had seen it related to them all that had happened to the possessed man, as well as about the pigs;
17so they began to beg Jesus to leave their region.
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the possessed man begged him to let him stay with him.
19But Jesus refused. ‘Go back to your home, to your own people,’ he said, ‘and tell them of all that the Lord has done for you, and how he took pity on you.’
20So the man went, and began to proclaim in the district of the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
21By the time Jesus had recrossed in the boat to the opposite shore, a great number of people had gathered to meet him, and were standing by the sea.
22One of the leaders of the synagogue, whose name was Jairus, came and, as soon as he saw Jesus, threw himself at his feet and begged him repeatedly,
23saying, ‘My little daughter is at death’s door. Please come and place your hands on her so that she may recover and live.’
24So Jesus went with him. A great number of people followed Jesus, and kept pressing round him.
25Meanwhile a woman who for twelve years had suffered from haemorrhage,
26and undergone much at the hands of many doctors, (spending all she had without obtaining any relief, but, on the contrary, growing worse),
27heard about Jesus, came behind in the crowd, and touched his cloak.
28‘If I can only touch his clothes,’ she said, ‘I will get well!’
29At once her bleeding stopped, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her affliction.
30Jesus at once became aware of the power that had gone out from him, and, turning round in the crowd, he said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’
31‘You see the people pressing round you,’ exclaimed his disciples, ‘and yet you say “Who touched me?”’
32But Jesus looked about to see who had done it.
33Then the woman, in fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and threw herself down before him, and told him the whole truth.
34‘Daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you; be free from your affliction.’
35Before he had finished speaking, some people from the house of the synagogue leader came and said, ‘Your daughter is dead! Why should you trouble the teacher further?’
36But Jesus, overhearing what they were saying, said to the synagogue leader, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith.’
37And he allowed no one to accompany him, except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
38Presently they reached the leader’s house, where Jesus saw a scene of confusion – people weeping and wailing incessantly.
39‘Why this confusion and weeping?’ he said on entering. ‘The little child is not dead; she is asleep.’
40They began to laugh at him; but he sent them all out, and then, with the child’s father and mother and his companions, went into the room where she was lying.
41Taking her hand, Jesus said to her, ‘Talitha, koum!’ – which means “little girl, I am speaking to you – Rise!”
42The little girl stood up at once, and began to walk about; for she was twelve years old. And, as soon as they saw it, they were overwhelmed with amazement;
43but Jesus repeatedly cautioned them not to let anyone know of it, and told them to give her something to eat.