Luke uniquely portrays Jesus' ministry as financially sustained by wealthy women like Joanna, wife of Herod's steward, creating an unprecedented economic partnership between Jesus and the political elite.
1Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve,
2and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
3and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who served them from their possessions.
4When a great multitude came together and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable:
5“The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.
6Some seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
7Some fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
8Some fell into the good ground and grew and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
9Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”
10He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
11“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12Those along the road are those who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.
13Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.
14What fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life; and they bring no fruit to maturity.
15Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.
16“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light.
17For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
18Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”
19His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.
20Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”
21But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
22Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.
23But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.
24They came to him and awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are dying!” He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; then they ceased, and it was calm.
25He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid, they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”
26Then they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs.
28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”
29For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
30Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.
31They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
32Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. Then he allowed them.
33The demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.
35People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
36Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
37All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. Then he entered into the boat and returned.
38But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39“Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
40When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
41Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come into his house,
42for he had an only born daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him.
43A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any,
44came behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak. Immediately the flow of her blood stopped.
45Jesus said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’”
46But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.”
47When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
48He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.”
50But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.”
51When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother.
52All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping.”
53They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead.
54But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!”
55Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.
56Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.
Luke 8 showcases Jesus' expanding ministry through teaching and miraculous demonstrations of divine power. The chapter begins with Jesus traveling with his disciples and devoted women followers, then presents the foundational Parable of the Sower about receptivity to God's word. Through three dramatic miracles—calming a storm, delivering a demon-possessed man, and raising a dead girl while healing a hemorrhaging woman—Jesus reveals his authority over nature, evil spirits, and death itself.
Context
This chapter follows Jesus' growing popularity from chapter 7 and demonstrates the diverse responses to his ministry that will intensify as he approaches Jerusalem.
Key Themes
Outline
Jesus travels preaching the kingdom of God, accompanied by the twelve disciples and several women who had been healed and now support his ministry. The passage highlights the role of women in Jesus' mission.
person_contrast
Luke uniquely portrays Jesus' ministry as financially sustained by wealthy women like Joanna, wife of Herod's steward, creating an unprecedented economic partnership between Jesus and the political elite.
Jesus teaches the parable of the sower to explain how people receive God's word differently based on their spiritual condition. He emphasizes the importance of hearing with an honest heart and persevering in faith.
person_contrast
Jesus uniquely links agricultural imagery with spiritual warfare, as the parable's "birds" and "thorns" represent Satan and worldly temptations competing for human hearts.
Jesus calms a storm on the lake, demonstrating his divine authority over nature and challenging his disciples' faith.
person_contrast
Jesus's question "Where is your faith?" uses the exact Greek phrase found only here and in Matthew 17:17, both times challenging disciples who witness his supernatural power over natural forces.
Jesus heals a demon-possessed man in the region of the Gadarenes, demonstrating his power over evil spirits and commissioning the healed man to witness.
person_contrast
Jesus commands the healed demoniac to "return home and tell how much God has done," uniquely transforming a Gentile outsider into his first commissioned evangelist beyond Jewish territory.
Jesus heals a woman with chronic bleeding and raises Jairus's daughter from the dead, demonstrating the power of faith and his authority over death.
person_contrast
Jesus touches both a ritually unclean bleeding woman and a corpse within minutes, violating two major purity laws while demonstrating that his healing power transcends ceremonial boundaries.
Luke uniquely portrays Jesus' ministry as financially sustained by wealthy women like Joanna, wife of Herod's steward, creating an unprecedented economic partnership between Jesus and the political elite.
Jesus uniquely links agricultural imagery with spiritual warfare, as the parable's "birds" and "thorns" represent Satan and worldly temptations competing for human hearts.
Jesus's question "Where is your faith?" uses the exact Greek phrase found only here and in Matthew 17:17, both times challenging disciples who witness his supernatural power over natural forces.
Jesus commands the healed demoniac to "return home and tell how much God has done," uniquely transforming a Gentile outsider into his first commissioned evangelist beyond Jewish territory.
Jesus touches both a ritually unclean bleeding woman and a corpse within minutes, violating two major purity laws while demonstrating that his healing power transcends ceremonial boundaries.
Connected passages across Scripture
Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdo…
When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.
But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been…
There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less and…
Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.
In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.
Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years. She was bent over and could in no way straighten…
Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of…
As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of…
See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds t…
which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that t…
Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it…
Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty ti…
It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they unde…
He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in par…
He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seein…
that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn…
The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes and takes aw…
When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has…
that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,…
by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.
These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receiv…
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,
You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on t…
What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches…
and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, an…
Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some…
What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and p…
Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world…
comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.
“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see t…
He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?
Wherever he entered—into villages, or into cities, or into the country—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged…
Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the hou…
“Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and…
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside…
“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and hi…
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside…
His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.
He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, who is calle…
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent…
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitud…
They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples and came into the region of Dalmanutha.
When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.
He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there w…
The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.
They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went…
They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authorit…
Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there.
He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there.
But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproa…
Whoever doesn’t receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go on.
and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure yo…
In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in t…
because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters brok…
Amazement came on all and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and powe…
When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf…
For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousa…
Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding.
Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.
The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”
Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The las…
At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousa…
He said to them, “Go!” They came out and went into the herd of pigs; and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the…
Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding.
Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.
The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”
Those who fed the pigs fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had hap…
Those who fed them fled and went away into the city and told everything, including what happened to those who were posse…
He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who h…
She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the fir…
On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside.
Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according…
She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and b…
Behold, there was a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
Behold, I make some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will…
Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;
and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.
Wherever he entered—into villages, or into cities, or into the country—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged…
having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes.
He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all…
Immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have percei…
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all trib…
He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.
When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying, that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Phi…
Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mothe…
Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name…
Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
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