Mark 5

1 And they came over the sea into the country of Gadarenes.

2 And after that he was gone out of the boat, at once [anon] a man in an unclean spirit ran out of the burials to him.

3 Which man had an house in burials [+That had an house in graves, or burials], and neither with chains now might any man bind him.

4 For oft times [For oft] he was bound in stocks and chains, and he had broken the chains, and had broken the stocks to small gobbets, and no man might make him tame [+and no man might daunt him/might tame him].

5 And evermore [And ever], night and day, in burials and in hills, he was crying and beating himself with stones.

6 And he saw Jesus afar, and ran, and worshipped him.

7 And he cried with great voice, and said, What to me and to thee, thou Jesus, the Son of the highest God? I conjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

8 And Jesus said to him, Thou unclean spirit, go out from the man.

9 And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? And he saith to him, A legion is my name; for we be many.

10 And he prayed Jesus much, that he should not put them out of the country. [And he prayed him much, that he should not cast him out of the country.]

11 And there was there about the hill a great flock of swine pasturing [a great drove of hogs pasturing].

12 And the spirits prayed Jesus, and said [And the spirits prayed him, saying], Send us into the swine, that we enter into them.

13 And at once [And anon] Jesus granted to them. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine, and with a great rush the flock was cast down into the sea, a two thousand, and they were drowned in the sea [+and with great rush, or haste, the drove was cast down into the sea, unto two thousand, and they were strangled in the sea].

14 And they that kept them, fled [Soothly they that fed them, fled], and told into the city, and into the fields; and they went out, to see what was done.

15 And they came to Jesus, and saw him that had been travailed of the fiend [And they came to Jesus, and they see him that was travailed of the fiend], sitting clothed, and of whole mind; and they dreaded.

16 And they that saw, how it was done to him that had a fiend, and of the swine, told to them. [And they told to them, that saw, how it was done to him that had a fiend, and of the swine.]

17 And they began to pray him, that he should go away from their coasts. [+And they began to pray him, that he should go away out of their coasts.]

18 And when he went up into a boat, he that was travailed of the devil, began to pray him, that he should be with him.

19 But Jesus received him not, but said to him [but saith to him], Go thou into thine house to thine, and tell to them, how great things the Lord hath done to thee, and had mercy of thee.

20 And he went forth, and began to preach in Decapolis, how great things Jesus had done to him; and all men wondered.

21 And when Jesus had gone up into the boat again over the sea, much people came together to him, and was about the sea.

22 And one of the princes of [the] synagogues, by name Jairus, came, and saw him, and he fell down at his feet,

23 and prayed him much, and said, My daughter is nigh dead [and prayed him much saying, For my daughter is in the last things]; come thou, put thine hand on her, that she be safe, and live.

24 And he went forth with him, and much people followed him, and thrusted him. [And Jesus went forth with him, and much company of people followed him, and oppressed him.]

25 And a woman that had been in the bloody flux twelve years, [And a woman that was in the flux of blood twelve years,]

26 and had received many things of full many physicians, and had spended all her good, and was nothing amended [and had suffered many things of full many leeches, and spended all her things, and nothing profited], but was rather the worse,

27 when she had heard of Jesus, she came among the people behind, and touched his cloak. [when she had heard of Jesus, she came in the company behind, and touched his cloth.]

28 For she said, That if I [shall] touch yea his cloak [Soothly she said, For if I shall touch yea his cloth], I shall be safe.

29 And at once [And anon] the well of her blood was dried up, and she feeled in her body that she was healed of the sickness [and she feeled in the body that she was healed of the sickness].

30 And at once Jesus knew in himself the virtue that was gone out of him, and he turned to the people, and said [And anon Jesus knowing in himself the virtue that had gone out of him, he, turned to the company, saith], Who touched my clothes?

31 And his disciples said to him, Thou seest the people thrusting thee [Thou seest the company pressing thee], and sayest [thou], Who touched me?

32 And Jesus looked about to see her that had done this thing.

33 And the woman dreaded, and quaked, witting that it was done in her, and came, and felled down before him [Forsooth the woman dreading and trembling, witting that it was done in her, came, and fell down before him], and said to him all the truth.

34 And Jesus said to her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee safe; go in peace, and be thou whole of thy sickness.

35 Yet while he spake, messengers came to the prince of the synagogue, and say [saying], Thy daughter is dead; what travailest thou the master further?

36 But when the word was heard that was said, Jesus said to the prince of the synagogue [Jesus saith to the prince of the synagogue], Do not thou dread, only believe thou.

37 And he took no man to follow him [And he received not any man to follow him], but Peter, and James, and John, the brother of James.

38 And they came into the house of the prince of the synagogue. And he saw noise, and men weeping and wailing much.

39 And he went in, and said to them [And he gone in, saith to them], What be ye troubled, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

40 And they scorned him. But when all were put out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and they entered [and they enter in], where the damsel lay.

41 And he held the hand of the damsel, and said to her, Talitha, cumi, that is to say [that is interpreted], Damsel, I say to thee, arise.

42 And at once [And anon] the damsel rose, and walked; and she was of twelve years. And they were abashed with a great astonishing.

43 And he commanded to them greatly, that no man should know it. And he commanded to give to her meat [And he commanded to give to her for 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.