Luke 8:14-36

¹⁴What fell amongst the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life; and they bring no fruit to maturity.

¹⁵Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

¹⁶“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.

¹⁷For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

¹⁸Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

¹⁹His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.

²⁰Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”

²¹But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

²²Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.

²³But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.

²⁴They came to him and awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are dying!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; then they ceased, and it was calm.

²⁵He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid, they marvelled, saying to one another, “Who is this then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

²⁶Then they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.

²⁷When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs.

²⁸When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”

²⁹For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.

³⁰Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.

³¹They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

³²Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. Then he allowed them.

³³The demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

³⁴When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.

³⁵People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

³⁶Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.