Mark 5

1 And they cam over to the other syde of ye see in to the coutre of ye Gaderenites.

2 And when he was come out of ye shippe there met him out of the graves a man possessyd of an vncleane sprete

3 which had his abydinge amoge the graves. And no man coulde bynde him: no not with cheynes

4 because that when he was often bounde wt fetters and cheynes he plucked ye chaynes asundre and brake the fetters in peaces. Nether coulde eny man tame him.

5 And alwayes bothe nyght and daye he cryed in ye moutaynes and in ye graves and bet himsilfe wt stones.

6 When he had spied Iesus afarre of he rane and worshipped him

7 and cryed wt a lowde voyce and sayde: what have I to do wt the Iesus ye sonne of the moost hyest God? I requyre ye in the name of God yt thou tormet me not.

8 For he had sayd vnto hym: come out of the man thou fowle sprete.

9 And he axed him: what is thy name? And he answered sayinge: my name is Legion for we are many.

10 And he prayd him instantly that he wolde not sende the awaye out of the countre.

11 And ther was there nye vnto ye moutayns a greate heerd of swyne fedinge

12 and all the devyls besought him sayinge: sende vs into the heerde of swyne yt we maye enter in to them.

13 And anone Iesus gave them leave. And the vnclene spretes wet out and entred into ye swyne. And the heerd starteled and ran hedling into the see. They were about .ii.M. swyne and they were drouned in the see.

14 And the swyne heerdes fleed and tolde it in ye cyte and in the countre. And they came out for to se what had hapened:

15 and came to Iesus and sawe hym that was vexed wt the fende and had the legio syt both clothed and in his right mynde and were afrayed.

16 And they that sawe it tolde them how it had happened vnto him that was possessed with the devyll: and also of the swyne.

17 And they begane to praye him that he wolde departe fro their coostes.

18 And when he was come in to the shyppe he that had ye devyll prayed him that he myght be with him.

19 Howbeit Iesus wolde not suffre him but sayde vnto him: goo home in to thyne awne housse and to thy frendes and shewe the what great thinges ye Lorde hath done vnto the and how he had copassion on the.

20 And he departed and begane to publisshe in ye ten cyties what greate thinges Iesus had done vnto him and all me dyd merveyle.

21 And when Iesus was come over agayne by shyp vnto the other syde moche people gadered vnto him and he was nye vnto the see.

22 And beholde ther came one of the rulers of ye Synagoge whose name was Iairus: and when he sawe him he fell doune at his fete

23 and besought hym greatly sayinge: my doughter lyith at poynt of deeth I wolde thou woldest come and laye thy honde on her that she myght be safe and live.

24 And he wet with him and moche people folowed him and thronged him.

25 And ther was a certen woman which was diseased of an yssue of bloude .xii. yeres

26 and had suffred many thinges of many phisicios and had spet all yt she had and felte none amendmet at all but wexed worsse and worsse.

27 When she had herde of Iesus: she came into the preace behynde him and touched his garmet.

28 For she thought: yf I maye but touche his clothes I shall be whole.

29 And streyght waye her foutayne of bloude was dryed vp aud she felt in her body that she was healed of the plage.

30 And Iesus immediatly felt in him silfe ye vertue that wet out of him and tourned him roude aboute in the preace and sayde: who touched my clothes?

31 And his disciples sayde vnto him: seist thou ye people thrust the and yet axest who dyd touche me?

32 And he loked roud about for to se her that had done that thinge.

33 The woman feared and trembled (for she knew what was done with in her) and she came and fell doune before him and tolde him ye truth of everythinge.

34 And he sayde to her: Doughter thy fayth hath made the whoale: goo in peace and be whole of thy plage.

35 Whyll he yet spake ther came fro the ruler of ye synagoges housse certayne which sayde: thy doughter is deed: why diseasest thou ye master eny further?

36 Assone as Iesus herde that worde spoke he sayde vnto the ruler of ye synagoge: be not afrayed only beleve.

37 And he suffred no man to folowe him moo then Peter and Iames and Ihon the brother of Iames.

38 And he came vnto the housse of the ruler of ye synagoge and sawe ye wondrynge and them that wepte and wayled greatly

39 and went in and sayde vnto them: why make ye this adoo and wepe? The mayde is not deed but slepith.

40 And they lawght him to scorne. Then he put them all out and toke ye father and the mother of ye mayden and them that were with him and entred in where the mayden laye

41 and toke the mayden by the honde and sayde vnto hyr: Tabitha cumi: which is by interpretacion: mayde I saye vnto the aryse.

42 And streyght the mayden arose and went on her fete. For she was of the age of twelve yeres. And they were astonied at it out of measure.

43 And he charged the straytely that no man shuld knowe of it and comaunded to geve her meate.

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.