Mark 5

Demons Driven Out by the Master

1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.^[a]

2 As soon as He got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him.

3 He lived in the tombs. No one was able to restrain him any more-even with chains-

4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had snapped off the chains and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

5 And always, night and day, he was crying out among the tombs and in the mountains and cutting himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him.

7 And he cried out with a loud voice, "What do You have to do with me,^[b] Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg^[c] You before God, don't torment me!"

8 For He had told him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"

9 "What is your name?" He asked him. "My name is Legion,"^[d] he answered Him, "because we are many."

10 And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region.

11 Now a large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside.

12 The demons^[e] begged Him, "Send us to the pigs, so we may enter them."

13 And He gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.

14 The men who tended them^[f] ran off and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened.

15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed by the legion, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16 The eyewitnesses described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and [told] about the pigs.

17 Then they began to beg Him to leave their region.

18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him.

19 But He would not let him; instead, He told him, "Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you."

20 So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.

A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed

21 When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the sea.

22 One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet

23 and kept begging Him, "My little daughter is at death's door.^[g] Come and lay Your hands on her so she can get well and live."

24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against Him.

25 A woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years

26 had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse.

27 Having heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His robe.

28 For she said, "If I can just touch His robes, I'll be made well!"

29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was cured of her affliction.

30 At once Jesus realized in Himself that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My robes?"

31 His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing against You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' "

32 So He was looking around to see who had done this.

33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came with fear and trembling, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth.

34 "Daughter," He said to her, "your faith has made you well. ^[h] Go in peace and be free ^[i] from your affliction."

35 While He was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader's house and said, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?"

36 But when Jesus overheard what was said, He told the synagogue leader, "Don't be afraid. Only believe."

37 He did not let anyone accompany Him except Peter, James, and John, James' brother.

38 They came to the leader's house, and He saw a commotion-people weeping and wailing loudly.

39 He went in and said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."

40 They started laughing at Him, but He put them all outside. He took the child's father, mother, and those who were with Him, and entered the place where the child was.

41 Then He took the child by the hand and said to her, " Talitha koum !" ^[j] (which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ).

42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was 12 years old.) At this they were utterly astounded.

43 Then He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Mark 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

The demoniac healed. (1-20) A woman healed. (21-34) The daughter of Jairus raised. (35-43)

Verses 1-20 Some openly wilful sinners are like this madman. The commands of the law are as chains and fetters, to restrain sinners from their wicked courses; but they break those bands in sunder; and it is an evidence of the power of the devil in them. A legion of soldiers consisted of six thousand men, or more. What multitudes of fallen spirits there must be, and all enemies to God and man, when here was a legion in one poor wretched creature! Many there are that rise up against us. We are not a match for our spiritual enemies, in our own strength; but in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we shall be able to stand against them, though there are legions of them. When the vilest transgressor is delivered by the power of Jesus from the bondage of Satan, he will gladly sit at the feet of his Deliverer, and hear his word, who delivers the wretched slaves of Satan, and numbers them among his saints and servants. When the people found that their swine were lost, they had a dislike to Christ. Long-suffering and mercy may be seen, even in the corrections by which men lose their property while their lives are saved, and warning given them to seek the salvation of their souls. The man joyfully proclaimed what great things Jesus had done for him. All men marvelled, but few followed him. Many who cannot but wonder at the works of Christ, yet do not, as they ought, wonder after him.

Verses 21-34 A despised gospel will go where it will be better received. One of the rulers of a synagogue earnestly besought Christ for a little daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. Another cure was wrought by the way. We should do good, not only when in the house, but when we walk by the way, De. 6:7 . It is common with people not to apply to Christ till they have tried in vain all other helpers, and find them, as certainly they will, physicians of no value. Some run to diversions and gay company; others plunge into business, or even into intemperance; others go about to establish their own righteousness, or torment themselves by vain superstitions. Many perish in these ways; but none will ever find rest to the soul by such devices; while those whom Christ heals of the disease of sin, find in themselves an entire change for the better. As secret acts of sin, so secret acts of faith, are known to the Lord Jesus. The woman told all the truth. It is the will of Christ that his people should be comforted, and he has power to command comfort to troubled spirits. The more simply we depend on Him, and expect great things from him, the more we shall find in ourselves that he is become our salvation. Those who, by faith, are healed of their spiritual diseases, have reason to go in peace.

Verses 35-43 We may suppose Jairus hesitating whether he should ask Christ to go on or not, when told that his daughter was dead. But have we not as much occasion for the grace of God, and the comfort of his Spirit, for the prayers of our ministers and Christian friends, when death is in the house, as when sickness is there? Faith is the only remedy against grief and fear at such a time. Believe the resurrection, then fear not. He raised the dead child to life by a word of power. Such is the gospel call to those who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins. It is by the word of Christ that spiritual life is given. All who saw it, and heard of it, admired the miracle, and Him that wrought it. Though we cannot now expect to have our dead children or relatives restored, we may hope to find comfort under our trials.

Footnotes

• [a]. Other mss read Gadarenes; other mss read Gergesenes
• [b]. Lit What to me and to You
• [c]. Or adjure
• [d]. A Roman legion contained up to 6,000 soldiers; here legion indicates a large number.
• [e]. Other mss read All the demons
• [f]. Other mss read tended the pigs
• [g]. Lit My little daughter has it finally; to be at the end of life
• [h]. Or has saved you
• [i]. Lit healthy
• [j]. An Aram expression