The Gerasene Demoniac
Study note
Crossing into Gentile territory, Jesus encounters a man so tormented by demons that he lives naked among the tombs, cutting himself and breaking every chain used to restrain him. The demon identifies itself as 'Legion,' suggesting thousands of evil spirits. Jesus sends them into a herd of two thousand pigs that rush into the sea and drown. The dramatic transformation of the man, now clothed and in his right mind, demonstrates that Jesus' power is sufficient for even the most extreme cases of spiritual bondage. Remarkably, the townspeople ask Jesus to leave, valuing their economic loss over the man's liberation, while the healed man becomes the first Gentile missionary, proclaiming what Jesus has done throughout Decapolis.
1 They reached the other side of the lake and landed in the region of the Gadarenes. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit ran out from the burial caves to meet him. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 This man made his home among the tombs. Nobody had been able to hold him down, not even with chains. Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 People had tried many times to lock him up with chains and shackles, but he always ripped the chains apart and smashed the shackles to bits. No one was strong enough to handle him. Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 Day and night, he wandered among the tombs and through the hills, screaming and slashing himself with sharp stones. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 When he spotted Jesus from far away, he ran toward him and threw himself on the ground in front of him. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 He screamed at the top of his lungs, "Leave me alone, Jesus, Son of the most high God! In God's name, I beg you, do not torture me!" And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 He said this because Jesus had already commanded, "Evil spirit, get out of this man!" For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 Then Jesus asked, "What is your name?" The spirit answered, "My name is Legion, because there are thousands of us." And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 The spirits kept begging Jesus over and over not to send them away from that area. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 A great herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 The evil spirits pleaded with Jesus, "Let us go into those pigs instead!" And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 Jesus allowed it. The evil spirits rushed out of the man and into the pigs. The whole herd -- about two thousand of them -- stampeded down the steep hillside, plunged into the lake, and drowned. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 The men watching the pigs took off running. They spread the news all over the town and the surrounding farms. People hurried out to see what had happened. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 They came to where Jesus was and saw the man who had been full of demons. He was just sitting there peacefully, wearing normal clothes and thinking clearly. That terrified them. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 The people who had watched it all happen described everything -- what had happened to the man and what had happened to the pigs. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 After hearing the story, the people begged Jesus to go away and leave their area. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 As Jesus was climbing back into the boat, the man who had been set free from the demons pleaded, "Please let me come with you!" And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 But Jesus said no. Instead, he told the man, "Go back home to the people who know you. Tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how he showed you mercy." Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 So the man went through the whole region of Decapolis, telling everyone what Jesus had done for him. People everywhere were amazed by his story. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Jairus Pleads for His Daughter
Study note
A synagogue ruler named Jairus falls at Jesus' feet and desperately begs him to come heal his dying daughter. That a prominent religious leader would publicly humble himself before Jesus shows the power of a parent's love and a faith willing to transcend social barriers. Jesus agrees to go, but the pressing crowd creates an interruption that will test Jairus' faith to its limits.
21 Jesus crossed the lake again by boat. When he got to the other side, a big crowd was already waiting for him at the shore. And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22 A synagogue leader named Jairus pushed through the crowd. The moment he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 He pleaded desperately, "My little girl is about to die. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and live!" And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 Jesus went with him. The crowd followed along, pressing in tightly from every side. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
The Woman with the Issue of Blood
Study note
Sandwiched within the Jairus narrative, Mark tells of a woman who has suffered from bleeding for twelve years, exhausting all medical options and her finances. Her condition made her ritually unclean, isolating her from community and worship. She reaches out in desperate faith to touch Jesus' garment and is immediately healed. Jesus stops to identify her not to shame her but to honor her faith publicly, calling her 'Daughter' and restoring her to full community standing. This interruption, while causing an agonizing delay for Jairus, demonstrates that Jesus is never too busy for the marginalized.
25 In that crowd was a woman who had been suffering from constant bleeding for twelve years. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26 She had been to doctor after doctor and had spent every penny she had, but none of them helped. She only got worse. And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27 She had heard the stories about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28 She kept telling herself, "If I can touch his clothes, that will be enough to heal me." For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29 The moment she touched him, her bleeding stopped. She could feel inside her body that she was completely healed. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30 At that same moment, Jesus felt power flow out from him. He spun around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31 His disciples looked at him and said, "There are people pushing against you from every direction! How can you ask who touched you?" And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32 But Jesus kept scanning the crowd, looking for the person who had done it. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33 The woman realized she could not hide. Shaking with fear, she stepped forward, dropped to her knees in front of him, and told him her whole story. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34 Jesus smiled and said, "Dear woman, your faith has healed you. Go home in peace. Your suffering is over." And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Raising Jairus' Daughter
Study note
News arrives that Jairus' daughter has died, but Jesus tells the grieving father, 'Don't be afraid. Only believe.' Taking only Peter, James, and John into the house, Jesus dismisses the mourners, takes the dead girl by the hand, and speaks the Aramaic words 'Talitha cumi' -- 'Little girl, arise.' Her immediate resurrection demonstrates Jesus' absolute authority over death itself. The detail that she was twelve years old connects her to the woman who suffered for twelve years, linking these stories thematically. Jesus' instruction to give her food shows his tender concern for practical needs alongside miraculous power.
35 While Jesus was still talking to her, some people arrived from Jairus's house with terrible news: "Your daughter has died. There is no point in bothering the Teacher now." While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 Jesus heard what they said and immediately told Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Keep trusting me." As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37 From that point on, Jesus only allowed Peter, James, and James's brother John to come with him. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38 When they arrived at the home of Jairus, the place was in chaos. People were sobbing and wailing loudly. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 Jesus went inside and asked, "Why all this crying and carrying on? The child is not dead. She is just sleeping." And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 The mourners laughed at him. But Jesus sent them all outside. He took only the girl's father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the girl was lying. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41 He gently took the girl's hand and said, "Talitha cumi" -- which means, "Little girl, get up!" And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 Instantly the girl stood up and started walking around. She was twelve years old. Everyone in the room was completely stunned. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43 Jesus gave them strict instructions not to tell anyone about this. Then he said, "Give her something to eat." And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.