1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.
2 As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him.
3 He lived in the tombs, and no one was able to restrain him anymoreânot even with a chain â
4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him.
7 And he cried out with a loud voice, âWhat do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, donât torment me! â
8 For he had told him, âCome out of the man, you unclean spirit! â
9 âWhat is your name? â he asked him. âMy name is Legion,â he answered him, âbecause we are many.â
10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.
11 A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside.
12 The demons begged him, âSend us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.â
13 So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.
14 The men who tended them ran off and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened.
15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16 Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs.
17 Then they began to beg him to leave their region.
18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him.
19 Jesus did not let him but told him, âGo home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.â
20 So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.
21 When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the sea.
22 One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet
23 and begged him earnestly, âMy little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her so that she can get well and live.â
24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him.
25 Now a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years
26 had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse.
27 Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothing.
28 For she said, âIf I just touch his clothes, Iâll be made well.â
29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
30 Immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, âWho touched my clothes? â
31 His disciples said to him, âYou see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you say, âWho touched me? â â
32 But he was looking around to see who had done this.
33 The woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
34 âDaughter,â he said to her, âyour faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed from your affliction.â
35 While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leaderâs house and said, âYour daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore? â
36 When Jesus overheard what was said, he told the synagogue leader, âDonât be afraid. Only believe.â
37 He did not let anyone accompany him except Peter, James, and John, Jamesâs brother.
38 They came to the leaderâs house, and he saw a commotionâpeople weeping and wailing loudly.
39 He went in and said to them, âWhy are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.â
40 They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the childâs father, mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was.
41 Then he took the child by the hand and said to her, âTalitha koumâ (which is translated, âLittle girl, I say to you, get upâ ).
42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was twelve years old.) At this they were utterly astounded.
43 Then he gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and told them to give her something to eat.