Luke 8

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

1After that, Jesus went to every town and village. He told the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve close helpers, called disciples, went with him.

2And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

2Some women went too. Jesus had healed them from evil spirits and sickness. One was Mary, called Magdalene. Seven demons had come out of her.

3And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

3Joanna was there too. Her husband Chuza ran King Herod's house. Susanna came, and many other women. They used their own money to help Jesus and his helpers.

4And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

4A big crowd came to Jesus from town after town. He told them a story with a hidden meaning, called a parable.

5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

5"A farmer went out to plant seeds. Some seeds fell on the path. People walked on them. Birds came and ate them up."

6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

6"Some seeds fell on rocky ground. The little plants came up, then dried out. There was no water for them."

7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

7"Some seeds fell where thorn bushes grew. The thorns grew up too and crowded the plants out."

8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

8"Other seeds fell on good soil. They grew and made a hundred times more grain." Then Jesus called out, "If you have ears, then listen!"

9And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

9Jesus' disciples asked him what this story meant.

10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

10He said, "God lets you know the secrets of his kingdom. Others only hear stories. They look but do not see. They listen but do not understand."

11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

11"Here is what the story means. The seed is God's word."

12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

12"The path is people who hear. Then the devil comes and takes the word out of their hearts. He does this so they will not believe and be saved."

13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

13"The rocky ground is people who hear and are glad. But the word grows no roots in them. They believe for a while. When hard times come, they quit."

14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

14"The thorns are people who hear the word. Then worries, money, and fun things crowd it out. Their fruit never grows ripe."

15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

15"The good soil is people with honest, good hearts. They hear the word and hold on to it. They keep going, and they grow good fruit."

16No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

16"Nobody lights a lamp and hides it under a bowl or a bed. You put it up on a stand. Then everyone who comes in can see."

17For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

17"Everything hidden will be shown. Every secret will be known and brought out where all can see."

18Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

18"So be careful how you listen. People who have will be given more. People who have nothing will lose even what they think they have."

19Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

19Jesus' mother and his brothers came to see him. The crowd was too thick for them to reach him.

20And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

20Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to see you."

21And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

21Jesus said, "My mother and my brothers are the people who hear God's word and do it."

22Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

22One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples. He said, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they set out.

23But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

23While they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. A big windstorm came down on the lake. Water filled the boat. They were in real danger.

24And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

24They woke him up. "Master, Master, we are going to drown!" Jesus stood up and told the wind and rough water to stop. They stopped, and all was calm.

25And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

25He asked, "Where is your faith?" They were scared and amazed. They asked each other, "Who is this man? Even the wind and water obey him."

26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

26They came to the land of the Gerasenes. It is across the lake from Galilee.

27And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

27Jesus stepped out on shore. A man from the town met him. Demons, which are evil spirits, had lived in him a long time. He wore no clothes and stayed among the graves.

28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

28When he saw Jesus, he shouted and fell down in front of him. He said loudly, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please do not hurt me!"

29(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

29Jesus had told the evil spirit to come out of the man. The spirit had grabbed him many times. People tied his hands and feet with chains. He broke them, and the demon drove him out to lonely places.

30And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

30Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion." He said this because many demons had gone into him.

Note"Legion" was the name for a large group of Roman soldiers, thousands of men. The name meant there were very many demons.

31And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

31The demons begged Jesus not to send them down into the deep pit.

32And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

32A big herd of pigs was feeding on the hill. The demons begged to go into the pigs. Jesus let them.

NoteIn the old King James wording, "suffer" means "allow" or "let." It does not mean hurting anyone.

33Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

33The demons came out of the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd ran down the steep hill into the lake and drowned.

34When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

34The men who cared for the pigs saw it happen. They ran off and told people in the town and in the fields.

35Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

35People came out to see. They found the man sitting at Jesus' feet. He had clothes on, and his mind was well again. They were afraid.

36They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

36The people who had seen it told the others how the man was made well.

37Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

37Everyone in that whole area was very afraid. They asked Jesus to go away. So he got in the boat and started back.

38Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

38The man who had the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him away. Jesus said,

39Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

39"Go home and tell the great things God has done for you." So the man went and told the whole town what Jesus had done for him.

40And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

40When Jesus came back, the crowd was happy to see him. They had all been waiting for him.

41And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:

41A man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue, the place where people met to worship. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house.

42For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

42His only daughter was about twelve years old, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the crowd pushed close around him.

43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

43A woman there had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all her money on doctors. No one could make her well.

44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

44She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his coat. Right away the bleeding stopped.

45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

45Jesus said, "Who touched me?" Everyone said it was not them. Peter said, "Master, the crowd is pushing all around you."

46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

46Jesus said, "Someone did touch me. I felt power go out of me."

NoteThe King James Bible says "virtue" here. In 1611 that word meant power or strength, not goodness.

47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

47The woman saw she could not stay hidden. She came shaking and fell down in front of him. In front of everyone, she told why she had touched him. She told how she got well at once.

48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

48Jesus said to her, "Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

49While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

49While he was still talking, a man came from Jairus' house. He said, "Your daughter has died. Do not bother the Teacher now."

50But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

50Jesus heard this and said to Jairus, "Do not be afraid. Just believe, and she will be made well."

51And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

51At the house, Jesus let only a few people come in. Peter, James, and John went in, and the girl's mother and father.

52And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

52Everyone was crying and very sad for her. Jesus said, "Stop crying. She is not dead. She is asleep."

53And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

53They laughed at him, because they knew that she had died.

54And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

54Jesus sent them all outside. He took her hand and called, "Child, get up!"

55And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

55Her spirit came back, and she stood up right away. Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

Note"Meat" in the King James Bible means food of any kind, not just meat from animals.

56And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

56Her parents were amazed. But Jesus told them not to tell anyone what had happened.