Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the Gospel
of Mark, Chapter 5, and the Gospel of John, Chapter
5. Mark, Chapter 5. Then they came to the other
side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.
And when he had come out of the boat, immediately
there met him out of the tombs a man with an
unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the
tombs. And no one could bind him, not even with
chains, because he had often been bound with
shackles and chains. And the chains had been
pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken
in pieces. Neither could anyone tame him. And
always night and day he was in the mountains
and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself
with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he
ran and worshipped him. And he cried out with
a loud voice and said, What have I to do with
you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore
you by God that you do not torment me. For he
said to him, Come out of the man unclean spirit.
Then he asked him, What is your name? And he
answered, saying, My name is Legion, for we are
many. Also he begged him earnestly that he would
not send them out of the country. Now a large
herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.
So all the demons begged him, saying, Send us
to the swine, that we may enter them. And at
once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean
spirits went out and entered the swine. There
were about two thousand. And the herd ran violently
down the steep place into the sea and drowned
in the sea. So those who fed the swine fled,
and they told it in the city and in the country.
And they went out to see what it was that had
happened. Then they came to Jesus and saw the
one who had been demon -possessed and had the
legion. sitting and clothed and in his right
mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw
it told them how it happened to him who had been
demon -possessed and about the swine. Then they
began to plead with him to depart from their
region. And when he got into the boat, he who
had been demon -possessed begged him that he
might be with him. However, Jesus did not permit
him. but said to him, Go home to your friends
and tell them what great things the Lord has
done for you and how he has had compassion on
you. And he departed and began to proclaim in
Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and
all marveled. Now when Jesus had crossed over
again by boat to the other side, a great multitude
gathered to him, and he was by the sea. And behold,
one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus,
by name, And when he saw him, he fell at his
feet and begged him earnestly, saying, My little
daughter lies at the point of death. Come and
lay your hands on her, that she may be healed
and she will live. So Jesus went with him, and
a great multitude followed him and thronged him.
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve
years, and had suffered many things from many
physicians. She had spent all that she had and
was no better, but rather grew worse. When she
heard about Jesus, she came behind him in the
crowd and touched his garment. For she said,
If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made
well. And immediately the fountain of her blood
was dried up, and she felt in her body that she
was healed of the affliction. And Jesus immediately,
knowing in himself that power had gone out of
him, turned around in the crowd and said, Who
touched my clothes? But his disciples said to
him, You see the multitude thronging you, and
you say, Who touched me? And he looked around
to see her, who had done this thing. But the
woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had
happened to her, came and fell down before him
and told him the whole truth. And he said to
her, Daughter, your faith has made you well.
Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.
While he was still speaking, some came from the
ruler of the synagogue's house who said, Your
daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any
further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that
was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue,
Do not be afraid, only believe. And he permitted
no one to follow him except Peter, James, and
John, the brother of James. Then he came to the
house of the ruler of the synagogue and saw a
tumult, and those who wept and wailed loudly.
When he came in, he said to them, Why make this
commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but
sleeping. And they ridiculed him. But when he
had put them all outside, he took the father
and the mother of the child and those who were
with him, and entered where the child was lying.
Then he took the child by the hand and said to
her, Talitha Kumi, which is translated, Little
girl, I say to you, arise. Immediately the girl
arose and walked, for she was twelve years of
age, and they were overcome with great amazement.
But he commanded them strictly that no one should
know it. and said that something should be given
her to eat. After this there was a feast of the
Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there
is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which
is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches.
In these lay a great multitude of sick people,
blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving
of the water. For an angel went down at a certain
time into the pool and stirred up the water.
Then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring
of the water, was made well of whatever disease
he had. Now a certain man was there who had an
infirmity thirty -eight years. When Jesus saw
him lying there, and knew that he already had
been in that condition a long time, he said to
him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man
answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into
the pool when the water is stirred up, but while
I am coming, another steps down before me. Jesus
said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk.
And immediately the man was made well, took up
his bed and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
The Jews therefore said to him who was cured,
It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to
carry your bed. He answered them, He who made
me well said to me, Take up your bed and walk.
Then they asked him, Who is the man who said
to you, Take up your bed and walk? But the one
who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus
had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.
Afterward, Jesus found them in the temple and
said to him, See, you have been made well. Sin
no more, lest a worse thing come upon you. The
man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus
who had made him well. For this reason, the Jews
persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him, because
he had done these things on the Sabbath. But
Jesus answered them, My father has been working
until now, and I have been working. Therefore
the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because
he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said
that God was his father, making himself equal
with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them,
Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing
of himself, but what he sees the Father do. For
whatever he does, the Son also does in like manner.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all
things that he himself does. And he will show
him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
For as the Father raises the dead and gives life
to them, even so the Son gives life to whom he
will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed
all judgment to the Son, that all should honor
the Son just as they honor the Father. He who
does not honor the Son does not honor the Father
who sent him. Most assuredly I say to you, he
who hears my word and believes in him who sent
me has everlasting life and shall not come into
judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming,
and now is, when the dead will hear the voice
of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
For as the Father has life in himself, so he
has granted the Son to have life in himself,
and has given him authority to execute judgment
also, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel
at this, for the hour is coming in which all
who are in the graves will hear his voice and
come forth, those who have done good to the resurrection
of life, and those who have done evil to the
resurrection of condemnation. I can of myself
do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment
is righteous, because I do not seek my own will,
but the will of the Father who sent me. If I
bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
There is another who bears witness of me, and
I know that the witness which he witnesses of
me is true. You have sent to John, and he has
borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive
testimony from man, but I say these things that
you may be saved. He was the burning and shining
lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice
in his light. But I have a greater witness than
John's. For the works which the Father has given
me to finish, the very works that I do bear witness
of me, that the Father has sent me. And the Father
himself who sent me has testified of me. You
have neither heard his voice at any time, nor
seen his form. But you do not have his word abiding
in you, because whom he sent, him you do not
believe. You search the scriptures, for in them
you think you have eternal life. And these are
they which testify of me, but you are not willing
to come to me that you may have life. I do not
receive honor from men, but I know you that you
do not have the love of God in you. I have come
in my Father's name, and you do not receive me.
If another comes in his own name, him you will
receive. How can you believe who receive honor
from one another, and do not seek the honor that
comes from the only God? Do not think that I
shall accuse you to the Father. There is one
who accuses you, Moses, in whom you trust. For
if you believed Moses, you would believe me.
For he wrote about me. But if you do not believe
his writings, how will you believe my words?
I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much as
I did. And I look forward to seeing you again
tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless
you and have a great day.