1They went across the sea to the region of the Gadarenes.
2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit immediately came from the tombs to meet him.
3This man lived in the tombs, and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with chains.
4He had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before him.
7He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name, don't torture me!"
8For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!"
9Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many."
10The spirits begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of the region.
11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside nearby.
12The demons begged Jesus, "Send us into the pigs so we can go into them."
13Jesus gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd — about two thousand in number — rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned.
14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people came out to see what had happened.
15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man — and told about the pigs as well.
17Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.
19Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the sea.
22Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.
23He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and lay your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."
24So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
25A woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years
26had suffered greatly under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."
29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30At once Jesus knew that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'"
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.
33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.
34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
35While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the Teacher anymore?"
36Overhearing what they said, Jesus told the synagogue leader, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
37He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
38When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
39He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead but asleep."
40But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.
41He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"
42Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around. She was twelve years old. At this they were completely astonished.
43He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.