1 Jesus e os discípulos chegaram à outra margem do mar, à terra dos gerasenos. 2 Ao desembarcar, logo um homem possuído de espírito imundo veio dos túmulos ao encontro de Jesus. 3 Esse homem vivia nos túmulos, e ninguém podia prendê-lo, nem mesmo com correntes. 4 Porque, tendo sido muitas vezes preso com correntes e cadeias, as cadeias foram quebradas por ele, e as correntes foram despedaçadas. E ninguém conseguia dominá-lo. 5 Andava sempre, de noite e de dia, gritando por entre os túmulos e pelos montes, ferindo-se com pedras. 6 Quando, de longe, viu Jesus, correu e prostrou-se diante dele, 7 gritando em alta voz:

— O que você quer comigo, Jesus, Filho do Deus Altíssimo? Por Deus, peço-lhe que não me atormente!

8 Ele disse isto, porque Jesus tinha dito a ele: "Espírito imundo, saia desse homem!"

9 Então Jesus lhe perguntou:

— Qual é o seu nome?

Ele respondeu:

— Legião é o meu nome, porque somos muitos.

10 E pediu-lhe com insistência que não os mandasse para fora do país.

11 Ora, uma grande manada de porcos estava pastando ali pelo monte. 12 E os espíritos imundos pediram a Jesus:

— Mande-nos para os porcos, para que entremos neles.

13 E Jesus o permitiu. Então, saindo os espíritos imundos, entraram nos porcos. E a manada, que era cerca de dois mil, precipitou-se despenhadeiro abaixo, para dentro do mar, onde se afogaram. 14 Os que tratavam dos porcos fugiram e foram anunciá-lo na cidade e pelos campos.

Então o povo saiu para ver o que tinha acontecido. 15 Aproximando-se de Jesus, viram o endemoniado, o que antes estava dominado pela legião, assentado, vestido, em perfeito juízo; e temeram. 16 Os que haviam presenciado os fatos contaram-lhes o que tinha acontecido ao endemoniado e também falaram a respeito dos porcos. 17 E começaram a pedir com insistência que Jesus se retirasse da terra deles.

18 Quando Jesus estava entrando no barco, aquele que antes estava possuído pelos demônios pediu com insistência que Jesus o deixasse ficar com ele. 19 Jesus, porém, não o permitiu; ao contrário, ordenou-lhe:

— Vá para a sua casa, para os seus parentes, e conte-lhes tudo o que o Senhor fez por você e como teve compaixão de você.

20 Então ele foi e começou a proclamar em Decápolis tudo o que Jesus lhe tinha feito; e todos se admiravam.

21 Tendo Jesus voltado de barco para o outro lado, reuniu-se em volta dele uma grande multidão; e ele estava junto do mar. 22 Então chegou um dos chefes da sinagoga, chamado Jairo, e, vendo-o, prostrou-se aos pés de Jesus 23 e lhe pediu com insistência:

— Minha filhinha está morrendo; venha impor as mãos sobre ela, para que seja salva e viva.

24 Jesus foi com ele.

Uma grande multidão seguia Jesus, apertando-o de todos os lados.

25 Estava ali certa mulher, que, havia doze anos, vinha sofrendo de uma hemorragia. 26 Ela havia padecido muito nas mãos de vários médicos e gastado tudo o que tinha, sem, contudo, melhorar de saúde; pelo contrário, piorava cada vez mais. 27 Tendo ouvido a fama de Jesus, a mulher chegou por trás, no meio da multidão, e tocou na capa dele. 28 Porque dizia: "Se eu apenas tocar na roupa dele, ficarei curada." 29 E logo a hemorragia estancou, e ela sentiu no corpo que estava curada daquele mal. 30 Jesus, reconhecendo imediatamente que dele havia saído poder, virando-se no meio da multidão, perguntou:

— Quem tocou na minha roupa?

31 Os discípulos responderam:

— O senhor está vendo que a multidão o aperta e ainda pergunta: "Quem me tocou?"

32 Ele, porém, olhava ao redor para ver quem tinha feito aquilo. 33 Então a mulher, amedrontada e trêmula, ciente do que lhe havia acontecido, veio, prostrou-se diante de Jesus e declarou-lhe toda a verdade. 34 Então Jesus lhe disse:

— Filha, a sua fé salvou você. Vá em paz e fique livre desse mal.

35 Enquanto Jesus ainda falava, chegaram alguns da casa do chefe da sinagoga, dizendo:

— A sua filha já morreu; por que você ainda incomoda o Mestre?

36 Mas Jesus, sem levar em conta tais palavras, disse ao chefe da sinagoga:

— Não tenha medo; apenas creia!

37 Jesus não permitiu que ninguém o acompanhasse, a não ser Pedro e os irmãos Tiago e João. 38 Chegando à casa do chefe da sinagoga, Jesus viu o alvoroço, os que choravam e os que pranteavam muito. 39 Ao entrar, disse:

— Por que vocês estão alvoroçados e chorando? A criança não está morta, mas dorme.

40 E riam-se dele. Mas Jesus, mandando que todos saíssem, levou consigo o pai e a mãe da criança e os que vieram com ele e entrou onde ela estava. 41 Tomando a criança pela mão, disse:

— Talitá cumi! — que quer dizer: "Menina, eu digo a você: Levante-se!"

42 Imediatamente a menina, que tinha doze anos, se levantou e começou a andar. Então todos ficaram muito admirados. 43 Mas Jesus ordenou-lhes expressamente que ninguém o soubesse. E mandou que dessem de comer à menina.

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. [^1]

2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.

3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.

4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.

7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name don't torture me!"

8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you impure spirit!"

9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."

10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.

12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them."

13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man —and told about the pigs as well.

17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.

19 Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis "how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.

22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.

23 He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.

25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.

26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.

27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,

28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."

29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.

33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?"

36 Overhearing "what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.

39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."

40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.

41 He took her by the hand and said to her, (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ).

42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.