New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him,
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Soon afterward, Jesus traveled through the cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of God's kingdom. The Twelve were with him,
2 along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons;
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along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. Among them were Mary Magdalene (from whom seven demons had been thrown out),
3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.
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Joanna (the wife of Herod's servant Chuza), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him:
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When a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one city after another, he spoke to them in a parable:
5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.
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"A farmer went out to scatter his seed. As he was scattering it, some fell on the path where it was crushed, and the birds in the sky came and ate it.
6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.
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Other seed fell on rock. As it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture.
7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.
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Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorns grew with the plants and choked them.
8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
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Still other seed landed on good soil. When it grew, it produced one hundred times more grain than was scattered." As he said this, he called out, "Everyone who has ears should pay attention."
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
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His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’
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He said, “You have been given the mysteries of God's kingdom, but these mysteries come to everyone else in parables so that when they see, they can't see, and when they hear, they can't understand.
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.
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“The parable means this: The seed is God's word.
12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.
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The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won't believe and be saved.
13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.
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The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted.
14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.
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As for the seed that fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures.
15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
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The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.
16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.
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"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand so that those who enter can see the light.
17 For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.
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Nothing is hidden that won't be exposed. Nor is anything concealed that won't be made known and brought to the light.
18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
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Therefore, listen carefully. Those who have will receive more, but as for those who don't have, even what they seem to have will be taken away from them."
19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd.
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Jesus' mother and brothers came to him but were unable to reach him because of the crowd.
20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.”
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Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you."
21 Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
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He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who listen to God's word and do it."
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out.
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One day Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat. He said to them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the lake." So they set sail.
23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
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While they were sailing, he fell asleep. Gale-force winds swept down on the lake. The boat was filling up with water and they were in danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.
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So they went and woke Jesus, shouting, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" But he got up and gave orders to the wind and the violent waves. The storm died down and it was calm.
25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”
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He said to his disciples, "Where is your faith?" Filled with awe and wonder, they said to each other, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"
26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee.
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Jesus and his disciples sailed to the Gerasenes' land, which is across the lake from Galilee.
27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.
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As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a certain man met him. The man was from the city and was possessed by demons. For a long time, he had lived among the tombs, naked and homeless.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!”
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When he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down before him. Then he shouted, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!"
29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
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He said this because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had taken possession of him, so he would be bound with leg irons and chains and placed under guard. But he would break his restraints, and the demon would force him into the wilderness.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons.
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Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had entered him.
31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.
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They pleaded with him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission.
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A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission,
33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
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and the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.
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When those who tended the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and told the story in the city and in the countryside.
35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.
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People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone. He was sitting at Jesus' feet, fully dressed and completely sane. They were filled with awe.
36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
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Those people who had actually seen what had happened told them how the demon-possessed man had been delivered.
37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.
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Then everyone gathered from the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave their area because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and returned across the lake.
38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying,
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The man from whom the demons had gone begged to come along with Jesus as one of his disciples. Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
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"Return home and tell the story of what God has done for you." So he went throughout the city proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.
40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him.
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When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they had been waiting for him.
41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him.
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A man named Jairus, who was a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet. He pleaded with Jesus to come to his house
42 His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.
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because his only daughter, a twelve-year-old, was dying. As Jesus moved forward, he faced smothering crowds.
43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure.
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A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent her entire livelihood on doctors, but no one could heal her.
44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.
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She came up behind him and touched the hem of his clothes, and at once her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”
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"Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When everyone denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you!"
46 But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.”
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But Jesus said, "Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me."
47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.
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When the woman saw that she couldn't escape notice, she came trembling and fell before Jesus. In front of everyone, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.
48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
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"Daughter, your faith has healed you," Jesus said. "Go in peace."
49 While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”
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While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader's house, saying to Jairus, "Your daughter has died. Don't bother the teacher any longer."
50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”
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When Jesus heard this, he responded, "Don't be afraid; just keep trusting, and she will be healed."
51 When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother.
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When he came to the house, he didn't allow anyone to enter with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother.
52 The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”
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They were all crying and mourning for her, but Jesus said, "Don't cry. She isn't dead. She's only sleeping."
53 But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died.
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They laughed at him because they knew she was dead.
54 Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!”
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Taking her hand, Jesus called out, "Child, get up."
55 And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.
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Her life returned and she got up at once. He directed them to give her something to eat.
56 Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.
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Her parents were beside themselves with joy, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible