Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

²¹Jesus went in the boat back across to the other side of the lake. There, many people gathered around him by the lake. ²²A leader of the synagogue* came to that place. His name was Jairus. Jairus saw Jesus and bowed down before him. ²³Jairus begged and begged Jesus. He said, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her. Then she will be healed and will live." ²⁴So Jesus went with Jairus. Many people followed Jesus. They were pushing very close around him. ²⁵A woman was there among the people. This woman had been bleeding for the past twelve years. ²⁶The woman suffered very much. Many doctors tried to help her. All the money she had was spent. But she was not improving. Her sickness was becoming worse. ²⁷The woman heard about Jesus. So she followed Jesus with the people and touched his coat. ²⁸The woman thought, "If I can touch his clothes, that will be enough to heal me." ²⁹When the woman touched his coat, her bleeding stopped. The woman felt that her body was healed from the suffering. ³⁰And Jesus felt power go out from him. So he stopped and turned around. Then he asked, "Who touched my clothes?" ³¹The followers said to Jesus, "There are many people pushing against you. But you ask, 'Who touched me?'" ³²But Jesus continued looking for the person that touched him. ³³The woman knew that she was healed. So she came and bowed at Jesus' feet. The woman was shaking with fear. She told Jesus the whole story. ³⁴Jesus said to the woman, "Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace. You will have no more suffering." ³⁵Jesus was still there speaking. Some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue* leader. The men said, "Your daughter is dead. There is now no need to bother the teacher (Jesus)." ³⁶But Jesus did not care what the men said. Jesus said to the synagogue leader, "Don't be afraid; only believe." ³⁷Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. ³⁸Jesus and these followers went to the house of Jairus, the synagogue* leader. Jesus saw many people there crying loudly. There was much confusion. ³⁹Jesus entered the house and said to the people, "Why are you people crying and making so much noise? This child is not dead. She is only sleeping." ⁴⁰But all the people laughed at Jesus. Jesus told the people to leave the house. Then Jesus went into the room where the child was. He brought the child's father and mother and his three followers into the room with him. ⁴¹Then Jesus held the girl's hand and said to her, "Talitha, koum!" (This means, "Little girl, I tell you to stand up!") ⁴²The girl stood up and began walking. (The girl was twelve years old.) The father and mother and the followers were amazed. ⁴³Jesus gave the father and mother very strict orders not to tell people about this. Then Jesus told them to give the girl some food to eat.

synagogue(s) Synagogues were places where Jews gathered for prayer, study of the Scriptures, and other public meetings.