5
JESUS SENT MANY EVIL SPIRITS FROM A CRAZY PERSON (5:1-20)
They kept going in the dinghy, they went to the other side of the water. The name of that country was Gerasa. That country was hilly with many caves. The Gerasa people used to put corpses in the caves. After he arrived Jesus got out of the boat. A man came to him, a crazy one, a spirit was controlling him.
3-4 He was going about naked, he used to make his camp inside the caves, close to dead ones. The spirit used to make him very angry. Before this people used to try in vain to tie his hands and feet with chains. The spirit would make him extra strong, that man would break the chains.
5 He was going around in caves and hills in the day and in the night. In his madness he was calling out and cutting himself with stones.
6 This poor man as soon as he saw Jesus from a long way off ran to meet him, he knelt in front of him.
8 Jesus said to the spirit, “Leave the man! Go away!”
7 The man called to him loudly, “Leave me, Jesus! I know you. Your father is above, he is truly Boss for above and for everywhere. You are his own child. What do you want, will you kill me? I beg you, do not send me to the big fire to burn! In that way the spirit talked to Jesus.
9 Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is 'Many'. We are many spirits.”
10 They were asking him, “Do not send us from this country.”
11 On that rise there were pigs, many of them, 2,000, they were eating green grass.
12 The spirits begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs. How about it? Can we go into them?”
13 He said to them, “Yes, you can go to the pigs.” Right then they left that man, they all went to the pigs, the spirits went into them. Right then all the pigs ran down from the hill, they went straight into the water, they died in the water.
14 The people who looked after the pigs scattered, they ran away afraid. They told many from the town and country. After that many came to see.
15 When they came to Jesus they saw that man who used to be crazy there. He was sitting near Jesus, he had clothes on, he was without evil spirits, not crazy, he was well. After seeing him they became afraid.
16 There were others who were standing there. Earlier they saw the pigs go into the water. They told those as soon as they came, “This Jesus sent the spirits from the man to the pigs. After that they ran down from the hill, they went into the waterhole, the water drowned all the pigs, they are completely dead.”
17 After that the local inhabitants told Jesus, “Go. Leave our country.”
18 Then Jesus climbed in the dinghy. The man who had become well asked Jesus, “Can I come with you?”
19 He replied, “No. Return to your people. Tell them God was sorry for you, he truly made you well.”
21a Then Jesus returned westwards to the other side of the waterhole.
20 In response to his word that man after he returned was going around in that country, in the east, in the 10 towns. He went to all people. He was telling them, “God made it very good for me. Jesus sent the spirits from me. He healed me.” They all were pleased, they were wondering about Jesus.
JESUS HEALED A WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN SICK A LONG TIME, THEN HE MADE ALIVE A GIRL WHO HAD DIED (5:21-43)
21b Many people gathered with Jesus at the edge of the waterhole.
22 A man came, his name was Jairus. He was boss for the meeting house in his town. As soon as he saw Jesus he kneeled down in front of him.
23 He begged him, “My young daughter is very sick, she might die. Come to my camp, touch her with your hand. After that she will not die, she will truly stay alive.”
24 Jesus went with him, many were following those two. The people were squashing each other.
25 This woman also followed him. That woman had been sick a long time, 12 years. She truly kept losing blood (lit. 'blood kept crawling for her'), it was a big sickness.
26 She used to go to various doctors. They did not heal her. Hers was a big sickness. After that she had no money, still she was staying sick.
27-28 She heard, “Jesus heals sick people.” After she heard she said to herself, “I will touch just his clothes. After I touch him I will truly become well, I will be without sickness.” She did that. Partway along she came close to him, from behind she touched his clothes.
29 Right then her blood stopped flowing, that woman knew she was well, she was happy.
30 Right then Jesus knew about that, he said to himself, “Someone touched me, that person has become healthy.” He stopped, he turned round. He asked them, “Who touched my clothes.”
31 His men said to him, Why did you say that? Many people have been squashing you. Why did you ask, 'Who touched me.'?”
32 He was ignoring them, still he was looking around.
33 That woman knew about herself, she was truly healthy, without sickness. She was trembling with fear, she came to Jesus. She kneeled down in front of his feet, she truly told him a straight word.
34 Jesus talked kindly to her, “You believed in me for good. Therefore now you are well. Go without fear, you will stay well. From now on you will not again get this sickness.
35 While he was talking to the woman some others came from Jairus's house. They said to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Leave the teacher alone. Don't annoy him.
36 Jesus heard their words. He said to Jairus, “Don't be afraid, don't get upset. Still believe in me.”
37 Many people were following Jairus and Jesus. Jesus told them, “Stay here.” Then Jesus picked just three of his men, Peter and James and James's younger brother, John. They went, Jesus and Jairus also, to the camp of Jairus.
38 They went to the front of the house, they stopped. There at the house they saw many people. They were all crying with one another for the young girl.
39 When Jesus entered he told them, “Don't cry. That young girl is only sleeping. She is not dead.”
40 They mocked him. They did not believe his word. After that he told them, “Go outside.” Then he told just the mother and father of the child and Peter and James and John, “Let us go to the child.” They went to that dead child.
41 He held her hand, he said to her, Child, stand up!”
42 Right then in response to Jesus's word her spirit returned to her. The child stood up, she walked around, she took a few steps. (She was just about an adolescent girl, twelve years old.) When they saw it they were pleased, they were saying to each other, “Yes we have never seen a thing like this. He made her alive from death.”
43 He told the girl's father and mother sternly, “Do not tell them I made this child alive.” Then he said to them, “Give the child some food.”