Jesus and His followers went to the other side of the sea, and came to the area of the Gerasene people. A man with an evil spirit came from the graves immediately to meet Jesus when He came out from the boat. The man lived where the graves were and no person was able to tie him up. They could not even tie him with a chain because they had tied him with chains on his hands and feet often, but he pulled the chains on his hands into pieces, and he broke the chains on his feet into many pieces. No one was strong enough to control him. He shouted all night and all day in the place where the graves were and in the mountains, and he cut his body with stones. The man saw Jesus when he was still far away and he ran to Jesus and went down on his knees in front of Him.
He called out with a loud voice, "Jesus, Son of the Most High God, why do You want me? I ask You to promise by God that You will not punish me!" He said this because Jesus had said to him, "You evil spirit, come out from this man!"
Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He answered, "My name is Legion because there are many of us."
The evil spirit began to beg Jesus again and again not to send them away from that area.
There was a large group of pigs eating on the side of the mountain then, and the evil spirits asked Jesus, "Send us among the pigs so we can go inside them." So, Jesus let the evil spirits come out and go into the pigs. The group of pigs ran very fast down the side of the mountain, and they all died in the sea. There were about 2,000 pigs. The men who always fed the pigs ran away and told about it in the city and out in the places near there and people came to see what had happened.
Then they came to where Jesus was, and they saw the same man sitting there who had been controlled by the many evil spirits. His mind was normal and he had clothes on his body. They were afraid, and the people who had seen it told the other people what had happened to the man who was controlled by the evil spirits. They told them also about the pigs. They began to beg Jesus to go away from the area where they lived.
The man who was controlled by the evil spirits begged Jesus to let him go with Him, when Jesus went into the boat. Jesus did not let him come with Him, and He said to him, "Go home to your family, and tell them about the great things the Lord has done for you, and that He was merciful to you." So, he went on his way and began to tell in Decapolis about the great things Jesus did for him, and all the people were full of wonder.
Jesus went over again to the other side of the lake in the boat. A large crowd of people came to Him, and He stayed near the sea. One of the synagogue rulers named Jairus went there and fell down at Jesus' feet when he saw Him. He begged Jesus, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her, so she can be healed and live." So, Jesus went with him, and a very large crowd of people followed Him and they pushed close to Him.
There was a woman who had very strong bleeding from her body for twelve years. She had suffered very much and had gone to many doctors. She spent all her money but she did not become better. Her condition became worse. She heard the things about Jesus, so she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His clothes. She did this because she thought, "I will be healed if I can just touch His clothes." The bleeding from her body stopped immediately. She knew that the disease in her body was healed.
Jesus knew in himself immediately that some of God's power had gone out from Him. So, He turned in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
His followers said to Him, "You see the people in the crowd pushing in toward You and You ask, 'Who touched Me?'"
Jesus looked around to see who did it, but the woman was full of fear, and her body shook, because she knew what had happened to her. She came and fell down in front of Him, and told Him the complete truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be healed from your disease."
Some people came from the synagogue ruler's house while Jesus was still speaking. They said, "Your daughter is dead. Why do you trouble the Teacher any longer?" But Jesus heard what they said, and He said to the synagogue ruler, "Do not be afraid anymore. Only believe."
Jesus did not let anyone go with Him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). They came to the synagogue ruler's house and Jesus saw great confusion there. The people were crying sadly and loudly. Jesus said to them after He went in, "Why are you making confusion and crying? The child is not dead, but she is asleep." They laughed at Him. But He sent them all outside and took the child's father and mother and His followers with Him, and went in where the child was.
He took the child's hand and said to her, Talitha koum!" (That means, "Little girl, I tell you, stand!"). The young girl stood immediately and began to walk. She was twelve years old. They were full of wonder immediately, and Jesus ordered them seriously not to let anyone know about this. Then He told them to give the girl something to eat.