Mark's Gospel: Chapter 5
Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free from your disease.
Key words
- Plead: to make an urgent, emotional statement or request for something
"Give us more time," they pleaded.
- Right mind: to be thinking clearly or to be mentally well
He is back in his right mind now that he's stopped drinking so much alcohol.
- Compassion: a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness for other people’s suffering or bad luck and a desire to help
I was hoping she might show a little compassion.
- Mourn: to feel or express great sadness, especially because of someone's death
Queen Victoria mourned Prince Albert's death for 40 years.
- Scorn: a very strong feeling of no respect for someone or something that you think is stupid or has no value
She has nothing but scorn for politicians.
Read the article to find the answers
- Where did the possessed man live?
- What did the possessed man do after the demons left him?
- How did the mourners laugh at Jesus?
- What did Jesus command?
Jesus saves a possessed man
An uncontrollable man, possessed by evil spirits, was living in a tomb near the shore, screaming and cutting himself. As soon as Jesus arrived, the man ran to Him.
Jesus spoke to the spirits possessing the man:
"Get out of the man, you unclean spirit!"
The spirits pleaded with Jesus not to send them out of the country, but to send them instead into a large herd of pigs that was nearby. Jesus agreed and the demons left the man, went into the herd of pigs, ran down into the sea, and drowned.
The pig farmers ran home and told everyone what had happened. People came to look and found the possessed man back in his right mind. When they saw this, they were frightened and begged Jesus to go away.
As Jesus got on the boat to leave, the man pleaded to go with Him, but Jesus told him to go back to his friends and tell them what happened. He told his friends about the compassion Jesus had and they were amazed.
Jesus brings a girl back to life
When Jesus arrived on another shore, one of the leaders of the synagogue fell at His feet and pleaded:
"My young daughter is dying. Please come and lay your hands on her to heal her, and she will live."
Then the man's friends arrived and told him that his daughter was already dead.
When Jesus heard this He told the man:
"Don't be afraid, only believe."
Then Jesus went to the man's house and found a crowd of mourners weeping and wailing. He asked them:
"Why are you weeping and mourning? The girl isn't dead, she's just sleeping."
The mourners laughed at Him scornfully. Jesus cleared the room of the mourners and took the girl's parents and a few close friends into the room where she lay. He took the girl's hand and said to her:
"Little girl, get up!"
Immediately, the girl got up and began to walk. Those present were utterly astonished.
Jesus strictly instructed them not to tell anyone about this, and commanded them to give the girl something to eat.
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- Do you know the Bible passage quoted at the top of this article?
- Have you ever seen someone possessed?
- What are some of the stories about demons in your culture?
- Do you know anyone who has been brought back to life?