Mark 5

King James Version

Full text for Mark Chapter 5

1¶ And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3Who had [his] dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

4Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any [man] tame him.

5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

8For he said unto him, ‹Come out of the man, [thou] unclean spirit.›

9And he asked him, ‹What [is] thy name?› And he answered, saying, My name [is] Legion: for we are many.

10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

14And they that fed the swine fled, and told [it] in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

15And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

16And they that saw [it] told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and [also] concerning the swine.

17And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

18And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, ‹Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.›

20And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all [men] did marvel.

21¶ And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: [I pray thee], come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

24And [Jesus] went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in [her] body that she was healed of that plague.

30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, ‹Who touched my clothes?›

31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

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

33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34And he said unto her, ‹Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.›

35¶ While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's [house certain] which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, ‹Be not afraid, only believe.›

37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, ‹Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.›

40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, ‹Talitha cumi;› which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was [of the age] of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus casts a legion of unclean spirits from a man into a herd of swine, which then drown in the sea. The healed man is sent to testify of God's mercy to his friends. Later, Jesus heals a woman who touches his garment by faith, and subsequently raises Jairus's daughter from the dead, demonstrating his power over sickness and death.

Medium Summary

Jesus crosses to the Gadarenes, where he encounters a man possessed by a multitude of unclean spirits called Legion. After the spirits beg not to be sent out of the country, Jesus permits them to enter a herd of swine, which then rush into the sea and perish. The local people, fearing Jesus' power, ask him to depart, while the healed man is instructed to return home and declare the great things the Lord has done for him. Upon returning, Jesus is approached by Jairus, a synagogue ruler, whose daughter is dying. On the way, a woman suffering from a twelve-year issue of blood is healed by simply touching Jesus' garment, her faith making her whole. Despite news that Jairus's daughter has died, Jesus reassures him, "Be not afraid, only believe." Entering the house with only three disciples and the parents, Jesus declares the girl is only sleeping, and then raises her from the dead with the command, "Talitha cumi."

Long Summary

Journeying to the country of the Gadarenes, Jesus is met by a man grievously afflicted by a legion of unclean spirits, who lived among the tombs, uncontrollable by chains, and constantly crying and cutting himself. The spirits, recognizing Jesus as the Son of the most high God, plead with him not to torment them or send them out of the country, but rather to allow them to enter a nearby herd of swine. Jesus grants their request, and the approximately two thousand swine rush violently down a steep place into the sea and are drowned. Those who tended the swine flee and report the event, leading the local populace to come and witness the formerly possessed man sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. Overwhelmed by fear, they implore Jesus to depart from their region. The man who had been healed desires to follow Jesus, but Jesus instructs him instead to return to his home and recount to his friends the great things the Lord has done for him and how He had compassion on him, which the man faithfully does throughout Decapolis. Returning across the sea, Jesus is met by a large crowd. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, falls at Jesus' feet, earnestly pleading for his twelve-year-old daughter, who is at the point of death, asking Jesus to lay hands on her for healing. As Jesus accompanies Jairus, a woman who had suffered from a chronic issue of blood for twelve years, having spent all her means on physicians without relief, approaches him from behind in the throng. Believing that merely touching his garment would make her whole, she does so and is immediately healed. Jesus, perceiving that virtue had gone out of him, inquires who touched his clothes. The woman, trembling, confesses the truth, and Jesus commends her faith, declaring it has made her whole. While Jesus is still speaking, messengers arrive from Jairus's house, announcing his daughter's death and advising not to trouble the Master further. Jesus, overhearing, encourages Jairus to "Be not afraid, only believe." Permitting only Peter, James, and John to accompany him, Jesus arrives at the house, where he finds great lamentation. He declares the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth, and is met with scorn. After putting out the unbelieving crowd, Jesus enters with the parents and his three disciples, takes the girl by the hand, and commands, "Talitha cumi," meaning, "Damsel, I say unto thee, arise." Immediately, the twelve-year-old girl arises and walks, astonishing all present, and Jesus charges them to keep it secret and to give her food.

Core Concepts

  • Demonic Possession and ExorcismThe chapter vividly portrays a man possessed by a "Legion" of unclean spirits, highlighting their destructive power and their recognition of Jesus' divine authority, culminating in their expulsion into swine.
  • Faith as a Catalyst for HealingThe woman with the issue of blood is healed solely by her belief that touching Jesus' garment would make her whole, demonstrating that her faith, rather than the physical act itself, was the instrument of her restoration.
  • Jesus' Authority Over Sickness and DeathJesus demonstrates his power by instantly healing a chronic illness and, more profoundly, by raising Jairus's daughter from the dead, asserting his dominion over life and mortality.
  • The Role of WitnessingThe healed Gadarene demoniac is instructed by Jesus to return home and tell his friends "how great things the Lord hath done for thee," establishing the importance of personal testimony.
  • Fear and BeliefThe responses of the Gadarenes, who ask Jesus to leave out of fear, contrast with Jesus' exhortation to Jairus, "Be not afraid, only believe," emphasizing the spiritual choice between fear and trust in divine power.
  • The Crowds and IntimacyJesus is constantly surrounded by throngs, yet he often seeks moments of intimacy for significant acts, such as his private conversation with the healed woman and taking only three disciples into Jairus's house.