Mark5
New American Standard
1They came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes.
2When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him.
3He lived among the tombs; and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain,
4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him.
5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and cutting himself with stones.
6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him;
7and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!”
8For He had already been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
10And he begged Him earnestly not to send them out of the region.
11Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding nearby on the mountain.
12And the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us into the pigs so that we may enter them.”
13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.
14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside. And the people came to see what it was that had happened.
15And then they came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had previously had the “legion”; and they became frightened.
16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the pigs.
17And they began to beg Him to leave their region.
18And as He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him.
19And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”
20And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
21When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and He stayed by the seashore.
22And one of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came, and upon seeing Him, fell at His feet
23and pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”
24And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.
25A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,
26and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but instead had become worse—
27after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.
28For she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”
29And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30And immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that power from Him had gone out, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?”
31And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
32And He looked around to see the woman who had done this.
33But the woman, fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
34And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be cured of your disease.”
35While He was still speaking, people came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher further?”
36But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
37And He allowed no one to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.
38They came to the house of the synagogue official, and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing.
39And after entering, He said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.”
40And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all outside, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was in bed.
41And taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha, kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).
42And immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astonished.
43And He gave them strict orders that no one was to know about this, and He told them to have something given her to eat.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Mark 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The demoniac healed. (1–20). A woman healed. (21–34). The daughter of Jairus raised. (35–43).
vv1-20
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.
vv21-34
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.
vv35-43
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.
Key Words
ἔρχομαι (érchomai): to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
πέραν (péran): through (as adverb or preposition), i.e. across
θάλασσα (thálassa): the sea (genitive case or specially)
χώρα (chṓra): room, i.e. a space of territory (more or less extensive; often including its inhabitants)
Γαδαρηνός (Gadarēnós): a Gadarene or inhabitant of Gadara
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ἐξέρχομαι (exérchomai): to issue (literally or figuratively)
ἐκ (ek): literal or figurative; direct or remote)
Cross References
Mark 5Luke's parallel account containing identical core narratives of the Gadarene exorcism.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Matthew's parallel account of the Gadarene demoniacs, mentioning two possessed men.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Luke's parallel detailing Jairus, his position as ruler of the synagogue, and his plea.
Supported by JFB
Luke's parallel describing the woman with the flow of blood for twelve years.
Supported by JFB
Matthew's parallel records the demon's cry, 'Art Thou come to torment us before the time?'
Supported by JFB
Theological parallel: demons believe and tremble, recognizing their ultimate tormentor.
Supported by JFB
Old Testament law defining swine as unclean, explaining the illegality of the herd.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Matthew's parallel account of the ruler requesting Jesus to raise his daughter.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Jesus uses identical sleep imagery for Lazarus before raising him from the dead.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matthew's parallel account of the healing of the woman who touched Jesus' garment.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Luke's parallel recording Jesus taking the girl's hand and commanding her to arise.
Supported by JFB
An identical demonic cry of 'What have I to do with thee' in Mark.
Supported by JFB
Levitcal law declaring a woman with a persistent issue of blood ceremonially unclean.
Peter mirrors Jesus' 'Talitha cumi' command when raising Tabitha ('Tabitha, arise').