Side by side
Mark 5
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Between scenesVerses 1 to 20
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
1On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes. 2As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs. 3This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains. 4Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him. 5Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him. 7And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!” 8For Jesus had already declared, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!” 9“What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region. 11There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. 12So the demons begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” 13He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water. 14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs. 17And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region. 18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him. 19But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.” 20So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Scene 1: A Father BegsVerses 21 to 24
A boat pulled up on the shore of the lake. Jesus and his disciples had crossed back from the other side.
A large crowd gathered around Jesus beside the water.
A man came up to Jesus. His name was Jairus. He was a leader of the local synagogue.
When Jairus saw Jesus, he fell down at his feet.
Jairus begged him urgently. "My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live" (5:23).
Jairus was afraid. His child was dying, and he had come to Jesus for help. He believed that one touch from Jesus's hands could make her well.
So Jesus went with him. The large crowd went too. People pressed in on every side.
21When Jesus had again crossed by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him beside the sea. 22A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet 23and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.” 24So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him.
Scene 2: Twelve YearsVerses 25 to 26
In that crowd was a woman. She had been bleeding for twelve years. It was a long illness, and it would not stop.
She had gone to many doctors. She had suffered a lot under their care. She had spent all her money. But she had not gotten better. She had gotten worse.
This kind of bleeding also caused another problem. Under Moses's law, it made a woman "unclean" (Leviticus 15:25). This did not mean she was bad or dirty. It was not a sin. It meant she could not take part in worship at the temple until the bleeding stopped. Anyone who touched her bed or her chair had to wash and wait until evening (Leviticus 15:26-27).
For most people, being unclean lasted a few days. For this woman, it had lasted twelve years. She was still sick, and she had no money left. Nothing anyone tried had worked. Mark himself does not use the word "unclean" in this story. He tells us about her suffering.
25And a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. 26She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.
Scene 3: One TouchVerses 27 to 29
The woman had heard about Jesus. She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.
She kept saying, "If only I touch His garments, I will be healed" (5:28).
The Bible doesn't say why she came from behind. But remember: for twelve years, her illness had kept her apart in some ways.
Right away, her bleeding stopped. She could feel it in her body. She was healed.
27When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. 28For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.” 29Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Scene 4: "Who Touched Me?"Verses 30 to 32
At the same moment, Jesus knew that "power had gone out from Him" (5:30).
Jesus stopped. He turned around to face the crowd. He asked, "Who touched My garments?" (5:30).
His disciples did not understand. They said, "You can see the crowd pressing in on you. And you still ask who touched you?" People were pushing against Jesus from every side. To the disciples, his question did not make sense.
But Jesus kept looking around. He wanted to see who had done it.
All this time, Jairus was waiting. His daughter was still dying at home. The Bible doesn't say how long Jesus stopped. But remember: Jairus had said she was near death.
30At once Jesus was aware that power had gone out from Him. Turning to the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My garments?” 31His disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32But He kept looking around to see who had done this.
Scene 5: The Whole TruthVerses 33 to 34
The woman knew what had happened to her. She came forward, shaking with fear. She fell down in front of Jesus.
Then she told him the whole truth.
The Bible doesn't say why she was so afraid. But remember: she had touched a teacher in front of a whole crowd, and she had been unclean for twelve years.
Jesus did not scold her. He spoke kindly. "Daughter ... your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction" (5:34). An affliction is a suffering that goes on and on.
She had come in secret, from behind. Jesus sent her away in peace, in front of everyone. He called her daughter.
33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him trembling in fear, and she told Him the whole truth. 34“Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction.”
Scene 6: Bad NewsVerses 35 to 36
Jesus was still speaking to the woman when messengers came from Jairus's house.
They said to Jairus, "Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?" (5:35).
The worst thing had happened. Jairus had come for help, and now his little girl was gone. The messengers thought it was too late for Jesus to help.
Jesus heard what they said. He turned to Jairus. "Do not be afraid; just believe" (5:36).
Jesus did not tell Jairus that the news was wrong. He told Jairus to keep trusting him. And Jesus kept walking toward the house.
35While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?” 36But Jesus overheard their conversation and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”
Scene 7: LaughingVerses 37 to 40
Jesus did not let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John.
They came to Jairus's house. It was loud. People were crying and wailing. Many people had come to grieve with the family.
Jesus went inside. He asked, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep" (5:39).
"Asleep" was a comparison. The girl really had died. One likely reason Jesus called it sleep: he was about to wake her up.
The people laughed at him. Luke says they knew she was dead (Luke 8:53).
Jesus sent them all outside. He took the girl's father and mother, and Peter, James, and John. They went in to where the girl lay.
37And He did not allow anyone to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38When they arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the people weeping and wailing loudly. 39He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.” 40And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.
Scene 8: "Little Girl, Get Up"Verses 41 to 43
Jesus took the girl by the hand.
He said, "Talitha koum!" (5:41).
Those are words in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke every day. Mark tells us what they mean: "Little girl, I say to you, get up" (5:41).
Right away, the girl got up. She began to walk around. A moment before, she had been dead. Now she was on her feet.
Mark tells us she was twelve years old. The woman on the road had been sick for twelve years. That is as long as this girl had been alive.
Her parents and the three disciples were completely amazed.
Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about this. Then he told them to give her something to eat.
That day, Jesus called two people "daughter." One had been sick for twelve years. One was twelve years old. Jesus had told Jairus not to be afraid. Now Jairus's little girl was alive.
41Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” 42Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around. She was twelve years old, and at once they were utterly astounded. 43Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.
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