Introduction

Luke chapter 8 gathers a rich collection of teachings and miracles that reveal the nature of the kingdom of God and the authority of Jesus over creation, spiritual forces, disease, and death. The chapter begins by noting that Jesus traveled with His twelve disciples and a group of women who supported His ministry, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, highlighting the important role women played in following and providing for Jesus.

Jesus then teaches the Parable of the Sower, explaining how different soils represent different responses to the word of God. He later privately interprets the parable to His disciples, emphasizing that spiritual understanding is given to those who seek it with sincere hearts. This is followed by the teaching on the lamp, encouraging believers to let their faith be visible rather than hidden, and a statement about true spiritual family being those who hear and obey God’s word.

The chapter then transitions into a series of powerful miracles that demonstrate Jesus’ divine authority. He calms a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, revealing His power over nature. He casts out a legion of demons from a tormented man in the region of the Gerasenes, restoring the man to wholeness and sending him back to his community as a witness of God’s mercy. Jesus also heals a woman who had suffered from a chronic bleeding disorder for twelve years, honoring her faith even amid a large crowd. Finally, the chapter closes with Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader, from death, showing His power even over the grave.

Throughout the chapter, Luke emphasizes themes of faith, authority, and the transformative power of encountering Jesus, both through His teaching and through direct personal miracles.

Chapter 8 (BBE)

1 Now it came about, after a short time, that he went through towns and villages giving the good news of the kingdom of God, and with him were the twelve,

2 And certain women who had been made free from evil spirits and diseases: Mary named Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,

3 And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s chief servant, and Susanna, and a number of others, who gave him of their substance for his needs.

4 And when a great number of people came together to him, from every town, he gave them teaching in the form of a story:

5 A man went out to put seed in the earth: and while he was doing it, some seeds were dropped by the side of the road, and were crushed under foot, and the birds of heaven took them for food.

6 And other seed went on the rock, and, growing up, became dry and died because it had no water.

7 And other seeds went among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it, and it had no room for growth.

8 And other seeds went into good earth, and grew and gave fruit a hundred times as much. And when he had said these things, he said with a loud voice, He who has ears, let him give attention.

9 And his disciples put questions to him about the sense of the story.

10 And he said, To you is given knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others they are given in stories, so that seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not get the sense.

11 Now this is the story: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the side of the road, are those who have given hearing; then the Evil One comes and takes away the word from their hearts, in fear that they may have faith and get salvation.

13 And those on the rock, are those who, when they have given ear, take the word with joy; but having no root, they for a time are believers, and when the test comes, their faith gives way.

14 And those among thorns are those who have given hearing, and go on their way, but they are overcome by cares and wealth and the pleasures of life, and they give no fruit.

15 And those in the good earth are those who, having given ear to the word, keep it in a good and true heart, and, in Working with patience, give fruit.

16 No man puts a light under a vessel, when he has got it lighted, or under a bed; but he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

17 For nothing is put out of view which will not be made clear, and nothing is secret of which the knowledge will not come to light.

18 So take care how you give hearing, for whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away from him.

19 And his mother and his brothers came to him, and were not able to get near him because of the great number of people.

20 And one came to him, saying, Your mother and your brothers are outside, desiring to see you.

21 But he in answer said to them, My mother and my brothers are those who have given hearing to the word of God and have kept it.

22 Now it came about, on one of those days, that he got into a boat with his disciples: and he said to them, Let us go over to the other side of the water: and they put out the boat.

23 But while they were sailing he went to sleep: and a great storm of wind came down on the lake, and the boat was covered with water, and they were in danger.

24 And they came to him, and, awaking him, said, Master, Master, we are near to death. And he, when he was awake, gave orders to the wind and the sea; and the wind went down, and there was a great calm.

25 And he said to them, Where is your faith? And they were in fear and surprise, saying to one another, Who then is this? for he gives orders even to the wind and the sea, and they do his orders.

26 And they came to land in the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.

27 And when he had come to the land, there came to him a certain man from the town who had evil spirits; and for a long time he had had no clothing on, and was not living in a house but in the place of the dead.

28 And when he saw Jesus, he gave a loud cry, and went down on the earth before him, and said in a loud voice, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Let me be, I make request to you, that you will not give me pain.

29 For he gave an order to the evil spirit to go out from the man. Now for a long time he had had this spirit, and he had been kept under control, and chained with iron chains and fixed with bands, and, still, he had constantly broken through, and had been sent by the driving of the evil spirit into waste places.

30 And Jesus put the question to him, What is your name? And he said, Legion; for a number of spirits had gone into him.

31 And they made a request to him that he would not send them into the great deep.

32 Now there was a great herd of pigs feeding on the mountain: and they made request to him to let them go into the pigs, and he let them do so.

33 And the evil spirits came out of the man, and went into the pigs: and the herd went rushing violently down a steep place into the lake, and were drowned.

34 And when the herdmen saw this, they went in fear, and gave word of it in the town and country.

35 And they went out to see what had taken place, and they came to Jesus, and saw the man out of whom the evil spirits had gone, seated, clothed, and with full use of his senses, at the feet of Jesus, and they were full of fear.

36 And those who saw it gave them an account of how the man who had the evil spirits was made well.

37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes made request to him to go away from them, for they were in great fear: and he got into a boat, and went back.

38 But the man from whom the evil spirits had gone out made a request that he might be with him, but he sent him away, saying,

39 Go back to your house, and let your story be given to them. And he went away, giving word through all the town of the great things which Jesus had done.

40 And when Jesus came back, the people came to him gladly, for they were all waiting for him.

41 And a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the Synagogue, came and, falling down at the feet of Jesus, made a request that he would come to his house;

42 For he had a daughter, about twelve years old, who was near to death. But while he was on the way, the people were pushing to be near him.

43 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had given all her money to doctors, and not one of them was able to make her well,

44 Came to him from behind, and put her hand on the edge of his robe: and straight away the flowing of her blood was stopped.

45 And Jesus said, Who was it who put a hand on me? And when they all said, It was not I, he said, Someone put a hand on me, for I had a feeling that force went out from me.

46 And when the woman saw that she was not able to keep it secret, she came, shaking with fear, and falling on her face before him, she made clear before all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was made completely well in that moment.

47 And when he saw her fear, he said to her, Daughter, take heart; your faith has made you well; go in peace.

48 While he was still talking, one came from the house of the ruler of the Synagogue, saying, Your daughter is dead; do not trouble him any more.

49 But Jesus, hearing it, said to him, Have no fear: only have faith, and she will be made well.

50 And when he came to the house, he did not let any man go in with him, but only Peter, and John, and James, and the father and mother of the girl.

51 And all the people were weeping and sorrowing for her; but he said, Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.

52 And they laughed at him, being certain that she was dead.

53 But he, taking her by the hand, said with a loud voice, Girl, get up.

54 And her spirit came back to her, and she got up straight away: and he gave orders that food would be given to her.

55 And her parents were full of wonder; but he gave them special orders not to say to anyone what had taken place.

Important Verses

• Luke 8:15 “Those in the good earth are those who, having given ear to the word, keep it in a good and true heart.” This verse defines authentic discipleship as sincere reception and steadfast obedience to God’s word.
• Luke 8:24-25 The calming of the storm reveals Jesus’ divine authority over nature, prompting the disciples to ask, “Who then is this?” a question central to understanding His identity.
• Luke 8:30-33 The encounter with the demon possessed man illustrates the destructive power of evil spirits and the total authority Jesus has to deliver and restore the afflicted.
• Luke 8:48 “Your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Jesus affirms the healing power of faith, connecting physical restoration with spiritual peace.
• Luke 8:54-55 The raising of Jairus’ daughter demonstrates that death itself is subject to Jesus’ command, foreshadowing His ultimate victory over death through the resurrection.