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 came to the other side of the lake, to the land of the Gerasenes.2 When he got out of the boat, immediately there came out of the tombs to meet him a man under the power of an impure spirit.3 This man made his dwelling in the tombs, and nobody could bind him even with a chain,4 because he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart and the fetters broken in pieces by him, and no one was strong enough to tame him.5 All night and all day long he was in the tombs and in the mountains, shrieking and cutting himself with stones.6 When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and knelt to him7 and shouted with a loud voice, "What have I and you to do with each other, Jesus, Son of God most high? I adjure you by God, not to torment me."8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out from the man, you impure spirit."9 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "Legion is my name, for we are many."10 Then he begged Jesus earnestly not to send them out of the country.11 There was on the mountain-side a great herd of swine feeding,12 and the demons begged him, "Send us to the swine and let us go into them."13 He consented. The impure spirits came out of the man and entered into the swine. Then the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned in the lake.14 At this, those who were feeding them fled and told it in the city and in the fields, and people came to see what had happened.15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the demoniac, the man who had had the legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. They were struck with awe.16 Those who had seen it told them about what had happened to the demoniac and about the swine.17 Then they began to beg him to go away from their neighborhood.18 As Jesus was entering the boat, the man who had been demoniac begged him to let him stay with him.19 He, however, did not consent, but said, "Go to your own house and to your family, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you."20 So he went away and began to make known in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and all were astonished.21 When Jesus had recrossed in the boat to the other side of the lake, a great crowd gathered around him as he stood on the shore.22 Then came one of the directors of the synagogue, by the name of Jairus, and as soon as he saw Jesus he fell at his feet23 and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is near to death. I beg you to come and lay your hands on her so that she may be saved and live."24 Jesus went away with him and a great crowd followed and pressed upon him.25 There was a woman who had for twelve years had a hemorrhage26 and had suffered much under the treatment of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, though without becoming better, but rather worse;27 this woman had heard about Jesus, and she came in the crowd behind him and touched his cloak,28 for she said, "If I can touch even his clothes, I shall be healed."29 Immediately the hemorrhage ceased and she knew in her body that she was healed of her affliction.30 Jesus was at once conscious that power had gone from him, and turned in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"31 His disciples replied, "You see the people crowding you, and do you ask, 'Who touched me?'32 But he looked around to see who had done it.33 Then the woman, afraid and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell before him and told him all the truth.34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be well of your trouble."35 While he was still speaking, people came from the house of the synagogue Director and told him, "Your daughter is dead; why annoy the teacher any longer?"36 But Jesus, overhearing what they were saying, said to the Director, "Never fear; only believe."37 He did not permit any one to accompany him except Peter and James and John, the brother of James.38 When they approached the Director's house, they saw a noisy crowd weeping loudly and wailing.39 He entered and said, "Why are you making so much noise and weeping so? The child is not dead, but is sleeping."40 But they laughed at him. Then he put them all out and took the child's father and mother and his own companions and went in where the child was.41 Taking hold of the child's hand he said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, rise up."42 Immediately the little girl rose up and walked around. She was twelve years old. They were utterly amazed.43 But he strictly ordered that no one should know it, and told them to give her something to eat.