Faith Tested, Demons Cast Out, Kingdom Arrives

1. Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all of the fortified cities of Judah, and captured them. 2. The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem to king Hezekiah with a large army. He stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool in the fuller’s field highway. 3. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder came out to him. 4. Rabshakeh said to them, “Now tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What confidence is this in which you trust? 5. I say that your counsel and strength for the war are only vain words. Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me? 6. Behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt, which if a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. 7. But if you tell me, ‘We trust in Yahweh our God,’ isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar?’” 8. Now therefore, please make a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 9. How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 10. Have I come up now without Yahweh against this land to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, “Go up against this land, and destroy it.”’” 11. Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and don’t speak to us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 12. But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?” 13. Then Rabshakeh stood, and called out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14. Thus says the king, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you. 15. Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh will surely deliver us. This city won’t be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”’ 16. Don’t listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and each of you eat from his vine, and each one from his fig tree, and each one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; 17. until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18. Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “Yahweh will deliver us.” Have any of the gods of the nations delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? 20. Who are they among all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’” 21. But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.” 22. Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh. 1. When king Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into Yahweh’s house. 2. He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. 3. They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘Today is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children have come to the birth, and there is no strength to give birth. 4. It may be Yahweh your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’” 5. So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6. Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master, ‘Yahweh says, “Don’t be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7. Behold, I will put a spirit in him and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’” 8. So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9. He heard news concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, “He has come out to fight against you.” When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, 10. “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem won’t be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 11. Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly. Shall you be delivered? 12. Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden who were in Telassar? 13. Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?’” 14. Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to Yahweh’s house, and spread it before Yahweh. 15. Hezekiah prayed to Yahweh, saying, 16. “Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, who is enthroned among the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17. Turn your ear, Yahweh, and hear. Open your eyes, Yahweh, and behold. Hear all of the words of Sennacherib, who has sent to defy the living God. 18. Truly, Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the countries and their land, 19. and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. 20. Now therefore, Yahweh our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are Yahweh, even you only.” 21. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Yahweh, the God of Israel says, ‘Because you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22. this is the word which Yahweh has spoken concerning him. The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you. 23. Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. 24. By your servants, have you defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon. I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees. I will enter into its farthest height, the forest of its fruitful field. 25. I have dug and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt.” 26. “‘Have you not heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it in ancient times? Now I have brought it to pass, that it should be yours to destroy fortified cities, turning them into ruinous heaps. 27. Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field, and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops, and like a field before its crop has grown. 28. But I know your sitting down, your going out, your coming in, and your raging against me. 29. Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance has come up into my ears, therefore will I put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came. 30. “‘This shall be the sign to you. You will eat this year that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs from the same; and in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. 31. The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah will again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 32. For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.’ 33. “Therefore Yahweh says concerning the king of Assyria, ‘He will not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither will he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. 34. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come to this city,’ says Yahweh. 35. ‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.’” 36. Then Yahweh’s angel went out and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 37. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, went away, returned to Nineveh, and stayed there. 38. As he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place. 1. In those days was Hezekiah sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order, for you will die, and not live.’” 2. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, 3. and said, “Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight.” Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4. Then Yahweh’s word came to Isaiah, saying, 5. “Go, and tell Hezekiah, ‘Yahweh, the God of David your father, says, “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. 6. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city. 7. This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do this thing that he has spoken. 8. Behold, I will cause the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the sundial on which it had gone down.”’” 9. The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and had recovered of his sickness. 10. I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years.” 11. I said, “I won’t see Yah, Yah in the land of the living. I will see man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12. My dwelling is removed, and is carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up, like a weaver, my life. He will cut me off from the loom. From day even to night you will make an end of me. 13. I waited patiently until morning. He breaks all my bones like a lion. From day even to night you will make an end of me. 14. I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.” 15. What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul. 16. Lord, men live by these things; and my spirit finds life in all of them: you restore me, and cause me to live. 17. Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back. 18. For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth. 19. The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do today. The father shall make known your truth to the children. 20. Yahweh will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in Yahweh’s house. 21. Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.” 22. Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to Yahweh’s house?” 1. At that time, Merodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he heard that he had been sick, and had recovered. 2. Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them. 3. Then Isaiah the prophet came to king Hezekiah, and asked him, “What did these men say? Where did they come from to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come from a country far from me, even from Babylon.” 4. Then he asked, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 5. Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of Yahweh of Armies: 6. ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up until today, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says Yahweh. 7. ‘They will take away your sons who will issue from you, whom you shall father, and they will be eunuchs in the king of Babylon’s palace.’” 8. Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “Yahweh’s word which you have spoken is good.” He said moreover, “For there will be peace and truth in my days.”

1. The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2. As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you: 3. the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’” 4. John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5. All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6. John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7. He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8. I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” 9. In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10. Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11. A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 12. Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13. He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him. 14. Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15. and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.” 16. Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.” 18. Immediately they left their nets, and followed him. 19. Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20. Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him. 21. They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22. They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23. Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24. saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!” 25. Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26. The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27. They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28. The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area. 29. Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30. Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31. He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them. 32. At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons. 33. All the city was gathered together at the door. 34. He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35. Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36. Simon and those who were with him followed after him; 37. and they found him, and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38. He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39. He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons. 40. A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” 41. Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42. When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. 43. He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out, 44. and said to him, “See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” 45. But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere. 1. When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house. 2. Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them. 3. Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him. 4. When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. 5. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6. But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7. “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? 9. Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?’ 10. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11. “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.” 12. He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” 13. He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them. 14. As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he arose and followed him. 15. He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him. 16. The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” 17. When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 18. John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?” 19. Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can’t fast. 20. But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day. 21. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made. 22. No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.” 23. He was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain. 24. The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?” 25. He said to them, “Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry—he, and those who were with him? 26. How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?” 27. He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28. Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” 1. He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had his hand withered. 2. They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him. 3. He said to the man who had his hand withered, “Stand up.” 4. He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” But they were silent. 5. When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other. 6. The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. 7. Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea, 8. from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him. 9. He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him. 10. For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him. 11. The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of God!” 12. He sternly warned them that they should not make him known. 13. He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him. 14. He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach, 15. and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17. James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder); 18. Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; 19. and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house. 20. The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21. When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him: for they said, “He is insane.” 22. The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.” 23. He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24. If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26. If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end. 27. But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house. 28. Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme; 29. but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.” 30. —because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” 31. His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him. 32. A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.” 33. He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34. Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers! 35. For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” 1. Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. 2. He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching, 3. “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow, 4. and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it. 5. Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. 6. When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8. Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.” 9. He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” 10. When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11. He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, 12. that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’” 13. He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? 14. The farmer sows the word. 15. The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16. These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. 18. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, 19. and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20. Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.” 21. He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand? 22. For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. 23. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24. He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. 25. For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.” 26. He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, 27. and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. 28. For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30. He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? 31. It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, 32. yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.” 33. With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34. Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. 35. On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” 36. Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him. 37. A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled. 38. He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up, and told him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?” 39. He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” 41. They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” 1. They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2. When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs. 3. He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains, 4. because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him. 5. Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. 6. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him, 7. and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.” 8. For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9. He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10. He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11. Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. 12. All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.” 13. At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea. 14. Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened. 15. They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. 16. Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs. 17. They began to beg him to depart from their region. 18. As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19. He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.” 20. He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled. 21. When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side, a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea. 22. Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, 23. and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.” 24. He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides. 25. A certain woman, who had an issue of blood for twelve years, 26. and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, 27. having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd, and touched his clothes. 28. For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29. Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31. His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32. He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.” 35. While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” 36. But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” 37. He allowed no one to follow him, except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38. He came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing. 39. When he had entered in, he said to them, “Why do you make an uproar and weep? The child is not dead, but is asleep.” 40. They ridiculed him. But he, having put them all out, took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying. 41. Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!” 42. Immediately the girl rose up and walked, for she was twelve years old. They were amazed with great amazement. 43. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.

1. A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke. 2. By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence. 3. He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 4. The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied. 5. A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace. 6. Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. 7. There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth. 8. The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats. 9. The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. 10. Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom. 11. Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow. 12. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. 13. Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded. 14. The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death. 15. Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard. 16. Every prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly. 17. A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy gains healing. 18. Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored. 19. Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. 20. One who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. 21. Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous. 22. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous. 23. An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away. 24. One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him. 25. The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.