Luke 8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 8
Galilean Women Follow Jesus.[a] 1 Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.(A) Accompanying him were the Twelve 2 (B)and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
The Parable of the Sower.(C) 4 [b]When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to him, he spoke in a parable.[c] 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6 Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”(D)
The Purpose of the Parables.(E) 9 Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. 10 He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that ‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’(F)
The Parable of the Sower Explained.[d] 11 (G)“This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God.(H) 12 Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. 15 But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.
The Parable of the Lamp.[e] 16 (I)“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.(J) 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.(K) 18 Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”(L)
Jesus and His Family.(M) 19 Then his mother and his brothers[f] came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. 20 (N)He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” 21 He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”[g]
The Calming of a Storm at Sea.(O) 22 [h]One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail, 23 and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger. 24 They came and woke him saying, “Master, master, we are perishing!” He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” But they were filled with awe and amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this, who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?”
The Healing of the Gerasene Demoniac.(P) 26 Then they sailed to the territory of the Gerasenes,[i] which is opposite Galilee. 27 When he came ashore a man from the town who was possessed by demons met him. For a long time he had not worn clothes; he did not live in a house, but lived among the tombs. 28 (Q)When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him; in a loud voice he shouted, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!” 29 For he had ordered the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (It had taken hold of him many times, and he used to be bound with chains and shackles as a restraint, but he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into deserted places.) 30 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”[j] He replied, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they pleaded with him not to order them to depart to the abyss.[k]
32 A herd of many swine was feeding there on the hillside, and they pleaded with him to allow them to enter those swine; and he let them. 33 The demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. 35 People came out to see what had happened and, when they approached Jesus, they discovered the man from whom the demons had come out sitting at his feet.[l] He was clothed and in his right mind, and they were seized with fear. 36 Those who witnessed it told them how the possessed man had been saved. 37 The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. So he got into a boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had come out begged to remain with him, but he sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and recount what God has done for you.” The man went off and proclaimed throughout the whole town what Jesus had done for him.
Jairus’s Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage.[m] 40 (R)When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And a man named Jairus, an official of the synagogue, came forward. He fell at the feet of Jesus and begged him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter,[n] about twelve years old, and she was dying. As he went, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years,[o] who [had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and] was unable to be cured by anyone, 44 came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 Jesus then asked, “Who touched me?” While all were denying it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are pushing and pressing in upon you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone has touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me.”(S) 47 When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Falling down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace.”(T)
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 50 On hearing this, Jesus answered him, “Do not be afraid; just have faith and she will be saved.” 51 When he arrived at the house he allowed no one to enter with him except Peter and John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 [p](U)All were weeping and mourning for her, when he said, “Do not weep any longer, for she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed him, because they knew that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and called to her, “Child, arise!” 55 Her breath returned and she immediately arose. He then directed that she should be given something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded, and he instructed them to tell no one what had happened.
Footnotes
- 8:1–3 Luke presents Jesus as an itinerant preacher traveling in the company of the Twelve and of the Galilean women who are sustaining them out of their means. These Galilean women will later accompany Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem and become witnesses to his death (Lk 23:49) and resurrection (Lk 24:9–11, where Mary Magdalene and Joanna are specifically mentioned; cf. also Acts 1:14). The association of women with the ministry of Jesus is most unusual in the light of the attitude of first-century Palestinian Judaism toward women. The more common attitude is expressed in Jn 4:27, and early rabbinic documents caution against speaking with women in public.
- 8:4–21 The focus in this section is on how one should hear the word of God and act on it. It includes the parable of the sower and its explanation (Lk 8:4–15), a collection of sayings on how one should act on the word that is heard (Lk 8:16–18), and the identification of the mother and brothers of Jesus as the ones who hear the word and act on it (Lk 8:19–21). See also notes on Mt 13:1–53 and Mk 4:1–34.
- 8:4–8 See note on Mt 13:3–8.
- 8:11–15 On the interpretation of the parable of the sower, see note on Mt 13:18–23.
- 8:16–18 These sayings continue the theme of responding to the word of God. Those who hear the word must become a light to others (Lk 8:16); even the mysteries of the kingdom that have been made known to the disciples (Lk 8:9–10) must come to light (Lk 8:17); a generous and persevering response to the word of God leads to a still more perfect response to the word.
- 8:19 His brothers: see note on Mk 6:3.
- 8:21 The family of Jesus is not constituted by physical relationship with him but by obedience to the word of God. In this, Luke agrees with the Marcan parallel (Mk 3:31–35), although by omitting Mk 3:33 and especially Mk 3:20–21 Luke has softened the Marcan picture of Jesus’ natural family. Probably he did this because Mary has already been presented in Lk 1:38 as the obedient handmaid of the Lord who fulfills the requirement for belonging to the eschatological family of Jesus; cf. also Lk 11:27–28.
- 8:22–56 This section records four miracles of Jesus that manifest his power and authority: (1) the calming of a storm on the lake (Lk 8:22–25); (2) the exorcism of a demoniac (Lk 8:26–39); (3) the cure of a hemorrhaging woman (Lk 8:40–48); (4) the raising of Jairus’s daughter to life (Lk 8:49–56). They parallel the same sequence of stories at Mk 4:35–5:43.
- 8:26 Gerasenes: other manuscripts read Gadarenes or Gergesenes. See also note on Mt 8:28. Opposite Galilee: probably Gentile territory (note the presence in the area of pigs—unclean animals to Jews) and an indication that the person who receives salvation (Lk 8:36) is a Gentile.
- 8:30 What is your name?: the question reflects the popular belief that knowledge of the spirit’s name brought control over the spirit. Legion: to Jesus’ question the demon replies with a Latin word transliterated into Greek. The Roman legion at this period consisted of 5,000 to 6,000 foot soldiers; hence the name implies a very large number of demons.
- 8:31 Abyss: the place of the dead (Rom 10:7) or the prison of Satan (Rev 20:3) or the subterranean “watery deep” that symbolizes the chaos before the order imposed by creation (Gn 1:2).
- 8:35 Sitting at his feet: the former demoniac takes the position of a disciple before the master (Lk 10:39; Acts 22:3).
- 8:40–56 Two interwoven miracle stories, one a healing and the other a resuscitation, present Jesus as master over sickness and death. In the Lucan account, faith in Jesus is responsible for the cure (Lk 8:48) and for the raising to life (Lk 8:50).
- 8:42 An only daughter: cf. the son of the widow of Nain whom Luke describes as an “only” son (Lk 7:12; see also Lk 9:38).
- 8:43 Afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years: according to the Mosaic law (Lv 15:25–30) this condition would render the woman unclean and unfit for contact with other people.
- 8:52 Sleeping: her death is a temporary condition; cf. Jn 11:11–14.
Lucas 8
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)
Parábola del sembrador(A)
8 Después de esto, Jesús estuvo recorriendo los pueblos y las aldeas, proclamando las buenas nuevas del reino de Dios. Lo acompañaban los doce, 2 y también algunas mujeres que habían sido sanadas de espíritus malignos y de enfermedades: María, a la que llamaban Magdalena, y de la que habían salido siete demonios; 3 Juana, esposa de Cuza, administrador de Herodes; Susana y muchas más que los ayudaban con sus propios recursos.
4 De cada pueblo salía gente para ver a Jesús y, cuando se reunió una gran multitud, les contó esta parábola: 5 «Un sembrador salió a sembrar. Al esparcir la semilla, una parte cayó junto al camino; fue pisoteada, y los pájaros se la comieron. 6 Otra parte cayó sobre las piedras y, cuando brotó, las plantas se secaron por falta de humedad. 7 Otra parte cayó entre espinos que, al crecer junto con la semilla, la ahogaron. 8 Pero otra parte cayó en buen terreno; así que brotó y produjo una cosecha del ciento por uno».
Dicho esto, exclamó: «El que tenga oídos para oír, que oiga».
9 Sus discípulos le preguntaron cuál era el significado de esta parábola. 10 «A vosotros se os ha concedido que conozcáis los secretos del reino de Dios —les contestó—; pero a los demás se les habla por medio de parábolas para que
»“aunque miren, no vean;
aunque oigan, no entiendan”.[a]
11 »Este es el significado de la parábola: La semilla es la palabra de Dios. 12 Los que están junto al camino son los que oyen, pero luego viene el diablo y les quita la palabra del corazón, no sea que crean y se salven. 13 Los que están sobre las piedras son los que reciben la palabra con alegría cuando la oyen, pero no tienen raíz. Estos creen por algún tiempo, pero se apartan cuando llega la prueba. 14 La parte que cayó entre espinos son los que oyen, pero, con el correr del tiempo, los ahogan las preocupaciones, las riquezas y los placeres de esta vida, y no maduran. 15 Pero la parte que cayó en buen terreno son los que oyen la palabra con corazón noble y bueno, y la retienen; y, como perseveran, producen una buena cosecha.
Una lámpara en una repisa
16 »Nadie enciende una lámpara para después cubrirla con una vasija o ponerla debajo de la cama, sino para ponerla en una repisa, a fin de que los que entren tengan luz. 17 No hay nada escondido que no llegue a descubrirse, ni nada oculto que no llegue a conocerse públicamente. 18 Por lo tanto, prestad mucha atención. Al que tiene, se le dará más; al que no tiene, hasta lo que cree tener se le quitará».
La madre y los hermanos de Jesús(B)
19 La madre y los hermanos de Jesús fueron a verlo, pero, como había mucha gente, no lograban acercársele.
20 ―Tu madre y tus hermanos están afuera y quieren verte —le avisaron.
21 Pero él les contestó:
―Mi madre y mis hermanos son los que oyen la palabra de Dios y la ponen en práctica.
Jesús calma la tormenta(C)
22 Un día subió Jesús con sus discípulos a una barca.
―Crucemos al otro lado del lago —les dijo.
Así que partieron 23 y, mientras navegaban, él se durmió. Entonces se desató una tormenta sobre el lago, de modo que la barca comenzó a inundarse y corrían gran peligro.
24 Los discípulos fueron a despertarlo.
―¡Maestro, Maestro, nos vamos a ahogar! —gritaron.
Él se levantó y reprendió al viento y a las olas; la tormenta se apaciguó y todo quedó tranquilo.
25 ―¿Dónde está vuestra fe? —les dijo a sus discípulos.
Con temor y asombro, ellos se decían unos a otros: «¿Quién es este, que manda aun a los vientos y al agua, y le obedecen?»
Liberación de un endemoniado(D)(E)
26 Navegaron hasta la región de los gerasenos,[b] que está al otro lado del lago, frente a Galilea. 27 Al desembarcar Jesús, un endemoniado que venía del pueblo le salió al encuentro. Hacía mucho tiempo que este hombre no se vestía; tampoco vivía en una casa, sino en los sepulcros. 28 Cuando vio a Jesús, dio un grito y se arrojó a sus pies. Entonces exclamó con fuerza:
―¿Por qué te entrometes, Jesús, Hijo del Dios Altísimo? ¡Te ruego que no me atormentes!
29 Es que Jesús le había ordenado al espíritu maligno que saliera del hombre. Se había apoderado de él muchas veces y, aunque le sujetaban los pies y las manos con cadenas y lo mantenían bajo custodia, rompía las cadenas y el demonio lo arrastraba a lugares solitarios.
30 ―¿Cómo te llamas? —le preguntó Jesús.
―Legión —respondió, ya que habían entrado en él muchos demonios.
31 Y estos le suplicaban a Jesús que no los mandara al abismo. 32 Como había una piara grande de cerdos paciendo en la colina, le rogaron a Jesús que los dejara entrar en ellos. Así que él les dio permiso. 33 Y, cuando los demonios salieron del hombre, entraron en los cerdos, y la piara se precipitó al lago por el despeñadero y se ahogó.
34 Al ver lo sucedido, los que cuidaban los cerdos huyeron y dieron la noticia en el pueblo y por los campos, 35 y la gente salió a ver lo que había pasado. Llegaron adonde estaba Jesús y encontraron, sentado a sus pies, al hombre de quien habían salido los demonios. Cuando lo vieron vestido y en su sano juicio, tuvieron miedo. 36 Los que habían presenciado estas cosas le contaron a la gente cómo el endemoniado había sido sanado. 37 Entonces toda la gente de la región de los gerasenos le pidió a Jesús que se fuera de allí, porque les había entrado mucho miedo. Así que él subió a la barca para irse.
38 Ahora bien, el hombre de quien habían salido los demonios le rogaba que le permitiera acompañarlo, pero Jesús lo despidió y le dijo:
39 ―Vuelve a tu casa y cuenta todo lo que Dios ha hecho por ti.
Así que el hombre se fue y proclamó por todo el pueblo lo mucho que Jesús había hecho por él.
Una niña muerta y una mujer enferma(F)
40 Cuando Jesús regresó, la multitud se alegró de verlo, pues todos estaban esperándolo. 41 En esto llegó un hombre llamado Jairo, que era un jefe de la sinagoga. Arrojándose a los pies de Jesús, le suplicaba que fuera a su casa, 42 porque su única hija, de unos doce años, se estaba muriendo.
Jesús se puso en camino y las multitudes lo apretujaban. 43 Había entre la gente una mujer que hacía doce años que padecía de hemorragias,[c] sin que nadie pudiera sanarla. 44 Ella se le acercó por detrás y tocó el borde del manto, y al instante cesó su hemorragia.
45 ―¿Quién me ha tocado? —preguntó Jesús.
Como todos negaban haberlo tocado, Pedro le dijo:
―Maestro, son multitudes las que te aprietan y te oprimen.
46 ―No, alguien me ha tocado —replicó Jesús—; yo sé que de mí ha salido poder.
47 La mujer, al ver que no podía pasar inadvertida, se acercó temblando y se arrojó a sus pies. En presencia de toda la gente, contó por qué lo había tocado y cómo había sido sanada al instante.
48 ―Hija, tu fe te ha sanado —le dijo Jesús—. Vete en paz.
49 Todavía estaba hablando Jesús cuando alguien llegó de la casa de Jairo, jefe de la sinagoga, para decirle:
―Tu hija ha muerto. No molestes más al Maestro.
50 Al oír esto, Jesús le dijo a Jairo:
―No tengas miedo; cree nada más, y ella será sanada.
51 Cuando llegó a la casa de Jairo, no dejó que nadie entrara con él, excepto Pedro, Juan y Jacobo, y el padre y la madre de la niña. 52 Todos estaban llorando, muy afligidos por ella.
―Dejad de llorar —les dijo Jesús—. No está muerta, sino dormida.
53 Entonces ellos empezaron a burlarse de él porque sabían que estaba muerta. 54 Pero él la tomó de la mano y le dijo:
―¡Niña, levántate!
55 Recobró la vida[d] y al instante se levantó. Jesús mandó darle de comer. 56 Los padres se quedaron atónitos, pero él les advirtió que no contaran a nadie lo que había sucedido.
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