Mark

Exorcism in Gerasa

They arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.

When Jesus stepped out of the boat, he was met by a man possessed by evil spirits who had come from the tombs. 

The man lived among the tombs, and no one could restrain him, not even with a chain. 

He had often been bound with fetters and chains, but he would pull the chains apart and smash the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. 

Night and day, he stayed among the tombs on the hillsides, constantly screaming and beating himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell at his feet 

and shouted loudly:

“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God’s sake, I beg you, do not torment me!”

He said this because Jesus had commanded, “Evil spirit, come out of the man!” 

He asked him:

“What is your name?”

He replied:

“Legion is my name, for we are many.”

And it kept begging Jesus not to send them out of that region.

 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside, 

and the evil spirits begged him:

“Send us to the pigs, and let us go into them.”

And he let them. The evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs, and immediately the herd rushed down the cliff, drowning in the lake. 

The herdsmen fled and reported this in the town and countryside. Then all the people came to see what had happened. 

They came to Jesus and saw the man freed from the evil spirits, sitting there clothed and in his right mind; the same man whom the legion had possessed. They were afraid. 

 And when those who had seen it told what had happened to the man and to the pigs, 

 the people begged Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man, who had been possessed, begged to stay with him. 

Jesus would not permit him and said:

“Go home to your people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.”

 So he traveled throughout the country of Decapolis, sharing with everyone how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were amazed.

Heals a Woman and Raises a Girl from the Dead

Jesus then crossed over to the other side of the lake, and while he was still on the shore, a large crowd gathered around him.

Jairus, an official of the synagogue, came forward and, seeing Jesus, threw himself at his feet; 

and begged him:

“My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may get well and live.”

Jesus went with him and many people followed, pressing around him. 

Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. 

She had suffered a lot at the hands of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of getting better, she was worse. 

Because she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind him and touched his cloak, 

thinking, ‘If I just touch his clothing, I shall get well.’ 

Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her complaint.

But Jesus was aware that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked:

“Who touched my clothes?”

His disciples replied:

“You see how the people are crowding around you. Why do you ask who touched you?”

He kept looking around to see who had done it. 

Then the woman, realizing what had happened, came forward trembling and afraid. She knelt before him and told him the whole story.

He said to her:

“Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be free of this illness.”

While Jesus was still speaking, some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” 

Jesus ignored what they said and told the official:

“Do not fear, just believe.”

He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 

When they arrived at the house, Jesus saw a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. 

Jesus entered and said to them:

“Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.”

They laughed at him. So Jesus sent them outside and went with the child’s father and mother and his companions into the room, where the child lay. 

Taking her by the hand, he said to her:

“Talitha cum!” which means, “Little girl, get up!”

The girl got up immediately and began to walk around. (She was twelve years old.) The parents were incredibly amazed. 

Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about it, and he told them to give her something to eat.