Mark 5

1 And they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.

2 And immediately on his going out of the ship there met him out of the tombs a man possessed by an unclean spirit,

3 who had his dwelling in the tombs; and no one was able to bind him, not even with chains;

4 because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn asunder by him, and the fetters were shattered; and no one was able to subdue him.

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

6 But seeing Jesus from afar off, he ran and did him homage,

7 and crying with a loud voice he says, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not.

8 For he said to him, Come forth, unclean spirit, out of the man.

9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he says to him, Legion is my name, because we are many.

10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11 Now there was there just at the mountain a great herd of swine feeding;

12 and they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine that we may enter into them.

13 And Jesus [immediately] allowed them. And the unclean spirits going out entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep slope, into the sea (about two thousand), and were choked in the sea.

14 And those that were feeding them fled and reported it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had taken place.

15 And they come to Jesus, and they see the possessed of demons sitting [and] clothed and sensible, [him] that had had the legion: and they were afraid.

16 And they that had seen [it] related to them how it had happened to the [man] possessed by demons, and concerning the swine.

17 And they began to beg him to depart from their coasts.

18 And as he went on board ship, the man that had been possessed by demons besought him that he might be with him.

19 And he suffered him not, but says to him, Go to thine home to thine own people, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for thee, and has had mercy on thee.

20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him; and all wondered.

21 And Jesus having passed over in the ship again to the other side, a great crowd gathered to him; and he was by the sea.

22 And [behold] there comes one of the rulers of the synagogue, by name Jairus, and seeing him, falls down at his feet;

23 and he besought him much, saying, My little daughter is at extremity; [I pray] that thou shouldest come and lay thy hands upon her so that she may be healed, and may live.

24 And he went with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed on him.

25 And a certain woman who had had a flux of blood twelve years,

26 and had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent everything she had and had found no advantage from it, but had rather got worse,

27 having heard concerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind and touched his clothes;

28 for she said, If I shall touch but his clothes I shall be healed.

29 And immediately her fountain of blood was dried up, and she knew in her body that she was cured from the scourge.

30 And immediately Jesus, knowing in himself the power that had gone out of him, turning round in the crowd said, Who has touched my clothes?

31 And his disciples said to him, Thou seest the crowd pressing on thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32 And he looked round about to see her who had done this.

33 But the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had taken place in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34 And he said to her, Daughter, thy faith has healed thee; go in peace, and be well of thy scourge.

35 While he was yet speaking, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's [house], saying, Thy daughter has died, why troublest thou the teacher any further?

36 But Jesus [immediately], having heard the word spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not; only believe.

37 And he suffered no one to accompany him save Peter and James, and John the brother of James.

38 And he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and sees the tumult, and people weeping and wailing greatly.

39 And entering in he says to them, Why do ye make a tumult and weep? the child has not died, but sleeps.

40 And they derided him. But he, having put [them] all out, takes with [him] the father of the child, and the mother, and those that were with him, and enters in where the child was lying.

41 And having laid hold of the hand of the child, he says to her, Talitha koumi, which is, interpreted, Damsel, I say to thee, Arise.

42 And immediately the damsel arose and walked, for she was twelve years old. And they were astonished with great astonishment.

43 And he charged them much that no one should know this; and he desired that [something] should be given her 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]. See Note, ch. 1.23.
• [b]. 'Most High' is here and elsewhere a proper name: see Luke 1.32. It is Elyon in Hebrew: Gen. 14.18.
• [c]. As Luke 8.35.
• [d]. Or 'the ship:' see Note, Matt. 4.21.
• [e]. See Note, Matt. 4.25.
• [f]. Some read, 'and she shall live,' which may be right.
• [g]. Here it is singular: in vers. 28 and 30, plural and more general.
• [h]. As ch. 1.41.
• [i]. Many read, 'they come.'