The Word Am I

The Gospel According to St. Luke

Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 8 -

1
It happened soon afterward that Jesus began traveling around to different cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,
2
as well as certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had been driven out;
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Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s manager; Susanna; and many others, who, out of their possessions, provided for their needs.

The Parable of the Sower

(Matthew 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20)
4
While a large crowd of people was gathering, and people were coming to him from town after town, he told a parable:
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“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the road and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.
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Some fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
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And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up together with the seed and choked it.
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But some fell on good soil and produced a crop that was a hundred times greater.” After Jesus had said these things, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
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His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
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He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but for others I speak in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
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Now this is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
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The ones along the path are those who have heard, but then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so they may not believe and be saved.
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And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But they have no root; they believe for a while, and in a time of testing they fall away.
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The seeds that fell among the thorns are people who hear the word, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.
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But the seed that fell on the good soil, these are the ones who, hearing the word with an honest and good heart, they hold it securely and bear fruit with patient endurance.

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Mark 4:21–25)
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Now, no one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. Rather, he puts it on a lampstand, so that everyone who enters may see the light.
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For nothing is hidden that will not be made known, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come into the light.
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So listen carefully, for to the one who has, more will be given to him, but the one who does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35)
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Then his mother and brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd.
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He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
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But Jesus answered and said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

(Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Mark 4:35–41)
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Now one day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” They set sail.
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But as they sailed he fell asleep. A terrible windstorm came down on the lake, and their boat was filling with water, and they were in danger.
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Then Jesus’ disciples came over to him and woke him up, saying, “Master! Master! We are about to die!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there was a calm.
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Then he said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and while they were afraid they were also amazed, and they asked one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

The Demons and the Pigs

(Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20)
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They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.
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When Jesus stepped on the land, he was met by a certain man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but among the tombs.
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When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and he said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.”
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For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and he would be driven by the demon into the wilderness.
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Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.
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They kept begging him not to send them into the abyss.
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Now a large herd of pigs was there feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him to let them go into them, and he gave them permission.
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So the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake and was drowned.
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When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and told about it in the city and countryside.
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So the people went out to see what had happened. And they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
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Then those who had seen it told them how the man who had been controlled by demons had been healed.
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Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to depart from them, for they were overwhelmed with great fear. So he got into the boat so they could start back.
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The man from whom the demons had gone out begged him to let him go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
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“Return to your home and give a full account of what God has done for you.” The man went on his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what Jesus had done for him.

The Healing Touch of Jesus

(Matthew 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43)
40
Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.
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Behold, a man named Jairus, who was one of the leaders of the synagogue, came and fell down at Jesus’ feet, and he begged him to come to his house,
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because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve years of age, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds of people pressed together around him.
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Now a woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years and had spent all her money on physicians, but could not be healed by any of them.
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She came behind Jesus and touched the edge of his coat, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
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Jesus said, “Who was it who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds of people are all around you and they are pressing in against you.”
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But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I know that power has gone out from me.”
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When the woman saw that she could not escape notice, she came trembling and falling down before him. She declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
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Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
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While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the teacher any longer.”
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But when Jesus heard this, he answered Jairus, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be healed.”
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When he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father of the child and her mother.
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Now all were mourning and wailing for her, but he said, “Do not weep; she is not dead but asleep.”
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But they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
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But he took her by the hand and called out, saying, “Child, get up!”
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Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He ordered them to get her something to eat.
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Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.
1
Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,
2
and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
3
and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who served them (a) from their possessions.

The Parable of the Sower

(Matthew 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20)
4
When a great multitude came together and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable:
5
“The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.
6
Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
7
Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
8
Other fell into the good ground and grew and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
9
Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”
10
He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ (b)
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“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
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Those along the road are those who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.
13
Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.
14
What fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life; and they bring no fruit to maturity.
15
Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Mark 4:21–25)
16
“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.
17
For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
18
Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35)
19
His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.
20
Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”
21
But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

(Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Mark 4:35–41)
22
Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.
23
But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.
24
They came to him and awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are dying!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; then they ceased, and it was calm.(c)
25
He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid, they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

The Demons and the Pigs

(Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20)
26
Then they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27
When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs.
28
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”
29
For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
30
Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.
31
They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
32
Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. Then he allowed them.
33
The demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34
When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.
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People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesusfeet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
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Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
37
All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. Then he entered into the boat and returned.
38
But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39
“Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

The Healing Touch of Jesus

(Matthew 9:18–26; Mark 5:21–43)
40
When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
41
Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesusfeet and begged him to come into his house,
42
for he had an only born(d) daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.
43
A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any,
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came behind him and touched the fringe (e) of his cloak. Immediately the flow of her blood stopped.
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Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’”
46
But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.”
47
When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
48
He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49
While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.”
50
But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.”
51
When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother.
52
All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping.”
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They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead.
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But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!”
55
Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.
56
Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.

Footnotes

(a)8:3 TR reads “him” instead of “them”
(b)8:10 ℘ Isaiah 6:9
(c)8:24 ℘ See Psalms 107:29
(d)8:42 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενη”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.
(e)8:44 or, tassel