THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

4 Againaa he began to teachab by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. 2 He taught them many things in parables,ac and in his teachingad he said to them, 3 “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.ae 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,af and the birds came and devouredag it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,ah since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.ai 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increasedaj thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”ak 9 Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”al

WHY JESUS USED PARABLES

10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelveam asked him about the parables.an 11 He answered them, “The secretao of the kingdom of Godap has been given to you, but to those outside,aq everything comes in parables 12 so that

they may indeed look,

and yet not perceive;

they may indeed listen,

and yet not understand;ar

otherwise, they might turn back

and be forgiven.”A,B,as

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER EXPLAINED

13 Thenat he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?au How then will you understand all of the parables? 14 The sower sowsav the word.aw 15 Some are like the word sown on the path.ax When they hear, immediately Satanay comes and takes away the wordaz sown in them.C 16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.ba 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distressbb or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.bc 18 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worriesbd of this age,be the deceitfulnessD,bf of wealth,bg and the desiresbh for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.bi 20 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,bj welcome it, and produce fruitbk thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”

USING YOUR LIGHT

21 Hebl also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?bm Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?bn 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,bo and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”bp 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measurea you use,b it will be measured to you—and more will be addedc to you. 25 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”d

THE PARABLE OF THE GROWING SEED

26 “The kingdom of Gode is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleepsf and risesg nighth and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a cropi by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grainj on the head. 29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,k because the harvestl has come.”

THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

30 Andm he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,n or what parableo can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seedp that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown,q it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,r and produces large branches, so that the birds of the skys can nest in its shade.”

USING PARABLES

33 He was speaking the wordt to them with many parablesu like these, as they were able to understand.v 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.w

WIND AND WAVES OBEY JESUS

35 Onx that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstormy arose, and the wavesz were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleepingaa on the cushion. So they woke him upab and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”ac

39 He got up, rebukedad the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!ae Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?af Do you still have no faith?”

41 And they were terrifiedA,ag and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obeyah him!”ai

DEMONS DRIVEN OUT BY JESUS

5 Theyaj came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.B 2 As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an uncleanak spirital came out of the tombsam and met him. 3 He lived in the tombs,an and no one was able to restrain him anymore—not even with a chainao—4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashedap the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdueaq him. 5 Nightar and day among the tombsas and on the mountains,at 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, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Sonau of the Most High God?av I beg you before God, don’t tormentaw me!” 8 For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you uncleanax spirit!”ay

9 “What is your name?” he asked him.

“My name is Legion,”az he answered him, “because we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.

11 A large herd of pigsba was there, feedingbb on the hillside. 12 The demonsC begged him, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission, and the uncleanbc spiritsbd 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 themD ran offbe 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,bfbg sitting there, dressed and in his right mind;bh and they were afraid.bi 16 Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessedbj 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, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lorda has doneb for you and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So he went out and began to proclaimc in the Decapolisd how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.e

A GIRL RESTORED AND A WOMAN HEALED

21 Whenf Jesus had crossed over again by boatA to the other side, a large crowdg gathered around him while he was by the sea. 22 One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus,h came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feeti 23 and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands onj her so that she can get wellB,k and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him.

25 Now a woman suffering from bleedingl for twelve years 26 had enduredm much under many doctors.n 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 touchedo his clothing.p 28 For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I’ll be made well.”q 29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healedr of her affliction.

30 Immediately Jesus realized that powers had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowdt and said, “Who touched my clothes?”u

31 His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

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 downv before him, and told him the whole truth.w 34 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faithx has saved you.y Go in peace and be healedz from your affliction.”aa

35 While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacherab anymore?”

36 When Jesus overheardC what was said, he told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid.ac Only believe.” 37 He did not let anyone accompany him except Peter,ad James,ae and John,af James’s brother. 38 They came to the leader’s house, and he saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping?ag The childah is not dead but asleep.”ai 40 They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the child’s father,aj mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was. 41 Then he took the childak by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum”D (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up”al). 42 Immediately the girl got upam and began to walk.an (She was twelve years old.) At this they were utterly astounded.ao 43 Then he gave them strict orders that no one should know about thisap and told them to give her something to eat.

REJECTION AT NAZARETH

6 Heaq left there and came to his hometown,ar and his disciplesas followed him. 2 When the Sabbathat came, he began to teachau in the synagogue,av and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdomaw that has been given to him, and how are these miraclesax performed by his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter,ay the son of Mary,az and the brother of James,ba Joses, Judas,bb and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offendedbc by him.

4 Jesus said to them, “A prophetbd is not without honorbe except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” 5 He was not able to do a miraclebf there, except that he laid his hands onbg a few sickbh people and healedbi them. 6 And he was amazedbj at their unbelief.bk He was going around the villages teaching.bl

COMMISSIONING THE TWELVE

7 Hebm summonedbn the Twelvebo and began to sendbp them out in pairs and gave them authority over uncleanbq spirits.br 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag,bs no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt.bt 10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcomea you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feetb as a testimonyc against them.”A 12 So they went out and preachedd that people should repent.e 13 They drove out many demons,f anointedg many sickh people with oili and healed them.j

JOHN THE BAPTIST BEHEADED

14 Kingk Herodl heard about it, because Jesus’s namem had become well known. SomeB said, “John the Baptistn has been raised from the dead,o and that’s why miraculous powersp are at workq in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.”r Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”s

16 When Herodt heard of it, he said, “John,u the one I beheaded, has been raised!”v

17 Forw Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chainx him in prison on account of Herodias,y his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.z 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawfulaa for you to have your brother’s wife.”ab 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to killac him. But she could not, 20 because Herod fearedad John and protected him, knowing he was a righteousae and holyaf man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,C,ag and yet he liked to listen to him.ah

21 An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquetai for his nobles,aj military commanders,ak and the leading men of Galilee.al 22 When Herodias’s own daughterD came in and danced,am she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 He promised her with anan oath:ao “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”ap

24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

“John the Baptist’saq head,” she said.

25 At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’sar head on a platteras immediately.” 26 Although the king was deeply distressed,at because of his oathsau and the guestsA he did not want to refuseav her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciplesaw heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.ax

FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND

30 Theay apostlesaz gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, 33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they ran on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.B

34 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassionba on them, because they were like sheepbb without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.

35 When it grew late, his disciplesbc approached him and said, “This place is deserted,bd and it is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”

37 “You give them something to eat,” he responded.

They said to him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denariiC worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was satisfied.be 43 They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men.

WALKING ON THE WATER

45 Immediatelybf he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida,bg while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountaina to pray.b 47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 He saw them strainingc at the oars,A because the wind was against them. Very early in the morningB he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghostd and cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.e Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage!f It is I.g Don’t be afraid.”h 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.i

MIRACULOUS HEALINGS

53 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaretj and anchored there.

54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized him. 55 They hurried throughout that region and began to carry the sickk on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch just the endl of his robe.m And everyone who touched it was healed.