The Gospel of Mark for Readers | Page 5

he plucked the chains asunder and broke
the fetters in pieces. No one could tame him and night and day he was
in the mountains or in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with
stones.
Yet, when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him. The
man cried with a loud voice, 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. Jesus turned to the man saying, Come out of the man, thou unclean
spirit. Then Jesus asked, What is thy name? The man answered, My
name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought Jesus that he not
send them away out of the country.
Nearby, in the mountains, there was a great herd of swine feeding. The
devils, in one voice, said, Send us to those swine that we may enter into
them. Right away, Jesus gave them leave. The unclean spirits left the
man and entered into the swine. The herd ran violently down a steep
slope into the sea and drowned (there were about two thousand).
The swine tenders fled and told it in the city and in the country. The
people went out to see what was done. When they approached Jesus,
they saw the man that was possessed with the devil and had the legion,
sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. The people became fearful.
Those who saw it told the others how it befell the man who was
possessed, and also told about the swine. The people then begged Jesus
to leave their coasts.
When He returned to the boat, the man who had been possessed prayed
Jesus to let him stay with Him. Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not but
said, Go home to thy friends. Tell them the great things the Lord has
done for thee, and tell them He has had compassion on thee. Then the
man departed and began to tell all in Decapolis the great things Jesus
had done for him. Then all men did marvel.
After Jesus crossed again by boat to the other side, many people
gathered to Him. And, behold, there came one of the rulers of the
synagogue, Jairus by name. When he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet and

besought Him saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. I pray
thee, come and lay thy hands on her that she may be healed and shall
live. Jesus went with him and the people followed and thronged Him.
In the crowd was a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years.
She had been to many physicians, spent all that she had, and nothing
was bettered, but, instead, grew worse. She had heard of Jesus and,
pressing through the crowd, she came up behind Him and touched His
garment. She said, If I may but touch His clothes, I shall be whole.
After she did this the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in
her body that she was healed.
Presently, Jesus, knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him,
turned about and said, Who touched my clothes? His disciples said,
Thou seest the multitude thronging thee and ask Who touched me?
Then Jesus spotted her who had done this thing. The woman, in fear
and trembling, but knowing what was done in her, came and fell down
before Him and spoke the truth. He said to her, Daughter, thy faith has
made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
While He yet spoke, messengers came from the ruler of the
synagogue's house and announced, Thy daughter is dead. Why trouble
the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the message, He said to
the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. Jesus allowed
no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of
James. When they got to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, Jesus
saw the tumult and many weeping and wailing.
Inside the house Jesus said to them, Why make this commotion and
weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleeps. They laughed Him to scorn.
But when He had put them all out, He took the father and mother of the
damsel and those who were with Him and entered where she was lying.
Then Jesus took her by the hand and said, Talitha cumi; Damsel, I say
to thee, arise.
Immediately the damsel, who was twelve years old, arose and walked.
They were astonished and Jesus charged them directly that they should
tell no one. Then He said that she should be given something to eat.
6 And He went, followed by His disciples, into His own