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The Parable of the Sower
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and
village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom
of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who
had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called
Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out. 3 Joanna the
wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna;
and many others. These women were helping to support them
out of their own means.
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were
coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was
scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was
trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock,
and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no
moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with
it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good
soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more
than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever
has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10
He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God
has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so
that,
“ ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may
not understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the
word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear,
and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their
hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those
on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when
they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a
while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The
seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but
as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries,
riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the
seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good
heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering
produce a crop.
A Lamp on a Stand
16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or
puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so
that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is
nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing
concealed that will not be known or brought out into the
open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Those
who have will be given more; as for those who do not have,
even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but
they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20
Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing
outside, wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who
hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Jesus Calms the Storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over
to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and
set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came
down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and
they were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master,
Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the
wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was
calm.
25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In
fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He
commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man
26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is
across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore,
he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a
long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house,
but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried
out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice,
“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the
evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized
him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under
guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the
demon into solitary places.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he
replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they
begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the
Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the
hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the
pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came
out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed
down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened,
they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside,
35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When
they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons
had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his
right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it
told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.
37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked
Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.
So he got into the boat and left.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to
go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for
you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much
Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for
they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a
synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading
with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter,
a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way,
the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who
had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one
could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the
edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied
it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and
pressing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that
power has gone out from me.”
47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go
unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the
presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him
and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to
her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from
the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is
dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”
50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be
afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not
let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and
the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people
were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus
said. “She is not dead but asleep.”
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54
But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55
Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus
told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were
astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had
happened. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
