Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman (Mk. 5:21-43; Lk. 8:40-56)

¹⁸While Jesus was saying these things, a leader of the synagogue* came to him. The leader bowed down before Jesus and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and touch her with your hand, and she will live again." ¹⁹So Jesus stood up and went with the leader. Jesus' followers went too. ²⁰There was a woman that had been bleeding for twelve years. The woman came behind Jesus and touched the bottom of his coat. ²¹The woman was thinking, "If I can touch his coat, then I will be healed." ²²Jesus turned and saw the woman. Jesus said, "Be happy, dear woman. You are made well because you believed." Then the woman was healed. ²³Jesus continued going with the Jewish leader and went into the leader's house. Jesus saw people there that make music for funerals. And he saw many people there crying [because the girl died]. ²⁴Jesus said, "Go away. The girl is not dead. She is only asleep." But the people laughed at Jesus. ²⁵After the people were put out of the house, Jesus went into the girl's room. Jesus held the girl's hand, and the girl stood up. ²⁶The news about this spread all around the area.

Jesus Heals More People

²⁷When Jesus was leaving there, two blind men followed him. The blind men said loudly, "Show kindness to us, Son of David.*" ²⁸Jesus went inside, and the blind men went with him. Jesus asked the men, "Do you believe that I am able to make you see again?" The blind men answered, "Yes, Lord, we believe." ²⁹Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "You believe that I can make you see again, so this will happen." ³⁰Then the men were able to see again. Jesus warned them very strongly. Jesus said, "Don't tell any person about this." ³¹But the blind men left and spread the news about Jesus all around that area. ³²When the two men were leaving, some people brought another man to Jesus. This man could not talk because he had a demon* inside him. ³³Jesus forced the demon to leave the man. Then the man that couldn't talk was able to speak. The people were amazed and said, "We have never seen anything like this in Israel." ³⁴But the Pharisees* said, "The leader of demons* (the devil) is the one that gives him (Jesus) power to force demons out."

Jesus Feels Sorry for the People

³⁵Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages. Jesus taught in their synagogues* and told people the Good News about the kingdom. And Jesus healed all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. ³⁶Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them. Jesus felt sorry for the people because the people were worried and helpless. The people were like sheep without a shepherd to lead them. ³⁷Jesus said to his followers, "There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. ³⁸God owns the harvest (people). Pray to him that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest."

synagogue(s) Synagogues were places where Jews gathered for prayer, study of the Scriptures, and other public meetings. Son of David Name for the Christ {(Messiah)}. He was from the family of David, king of Israel about 1000 years B.C. demon(s) Demons are evil spirits from the devil. Pharisees The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group that claimed to follow carefully all Jewish laws and customs.