Luke 8:22-39

Luke 8

Jesus Calms the Storm

²² One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and told them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. ²³ As they were sailing, he fell asleep. A powerful windstorm came down on the lake, the boat was filling up with water, and they were in danger.

²⁴ They went to him and woke him, saying, “Master, master, we’re going to die!”

He woke up, rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they stopped. Then it was calm.

²⁵ He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

They were afraid and amazed and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

A Demon-Possessed Man and a Herd of Pigs

²⁶ They sailed down to the region of the Gerasenes, ^[1] which is across from Galilee. ²⁷ When Jesus stepped ashore, a man from the town met him. He was possessed by demons and for a long time had not worn any clothes. He did not live in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” ²⁹ For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. In fact, the unclean spirit had seized him many times. He was kept under guard, and although he was bound with chains and shackles, he would break the restraints and was driven by the demon into deserted places.

³⁰ Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Legion,” because many demons had gone into him. ³¹ They were begging Jesus that he would not order them to go into the abyss. ³² A herd of many pigs was feeding there on the mountain. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. ³³ The demons went out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ When those who were feeding the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and reported it in the town and in the countryside. ³⁵ People 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. He was clothed and in his right mind, and the people were afraid. ³⁶ Those who saw it told them how the demon-possessed man was saved. ³⁷ The whole crowd of people from the surrounding country of the Gerasenes ^[2] asked Jesus to leave them, because they were gripped with great fear.

As Jesus got into the boat and started back, ³⁸ the man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your home and tell how much God has done for you.” Then he went through the whole town proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.