CHAPTER 6 MIRACLES

(1) Jesus’ command over the forces of nature
(2) Jesus’ healing physical and mental disorders
(3) Jesus’ bringing the dead back to life

Jesus and his miracles
John 5:36
Jesus said, “I have a greater witness than John (the Baptist). I refer to the miracles I do; these have been assigned me by the Father, and they prove that the Father has sent me.
Matthew 11:4-6
Jesus told them, “Go back to John (the Baptist) and tell him about the miracles you’ve seen me do – the blind people I’ve healed, and the lame people now walking without help, and the cured lepers, and the deaf who hear, and the dead raised to life; and tell him about my preaching the Good News to the poor. Then give him this message, ‘Blessed (happy and fortunate) are those who don’t doubt me.’”
Luke 7:20-23
Jesus said, “Go back to John (the Baptist) and tell him all you have seen and heard here today: how those who were blind can see. The lame are walking without a limp. The lepers are completely healed. The deaf can hear again. The dead come back to life. And the poor are hearing the Good News. And tell him, ‘Blessed (happy and fortunate) is the one who does not lose his faith in me.’”

(1) Jesus’ command over the forces of nature

Jesus calms a storm
Jesus walks on water
Catching a lot of fish
Jesus feeds five thousand
Jesus feeds four thousand
Jesus turns water into wine
To Capernaum
A coin to cover the taxes
Throw out your net
Jesus and the fig tree

Jesus calms a storm
Matthew 8:18
When Jesus noticed how large the crowd was growing, he instructed his disciples to get ready to cross to the other side of the lake.
Matthew 8:23-27
Then Jesus got into a boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly a terrible storm came up, with waves higher than the boat. But Jesus was asleep.
The disciples went to him and wakened him, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re sinking!”
But Jesus answered, “O you men of little faith! Why are you so frightened?” Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and the storm subsided and all was calm. The disciples just sat there, awestruck. “Who is this,” they asked themselves, “that even the winds and the sea obey him?”
Mark 4:35-41
As evening fell, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took him just as he was and started out, leaving the crowds behind (though other boats followed). But soon a terrible storm arose. High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water and about to sink.
Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they wakened him, shouting, “Master, don’t you even care that we are all about to drown?”
Then he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet down!” And the wind fell, and there was a great calm. He asked the disciples, “Why were you so fearful? Don’t you even yet have confidence in me?” And they were filled with awe and said among themselves, “Who is this man, that even the winds and seas obey him?”
Luke 8:22-25
One day about that time, as he and his disciples were out in a boat, he suggested that they cross to the other side of the lake. On the way across he lay down for a nap, and while he was sleeping the wind began to rise. A fierce storm developed that threatened to swamp them, and they were in real danger.
They rushed over and woke him up, “Master, Master, we are sinking!” they shouted.
So he spoke to the storm: “Be quiet,” he said, and the wind and waves subsided and all was calm!” Then, “Where is your faith?” he asked them.
And they were filled with awe and fear of him and said to one another, “Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?”

Jesus walks on the water
Matthew 14:22-24
Jesus told his disciples to get into their boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he stayed to see the people off home. After that he went up into the hills to pray.
Mark 6:45-46
Jesus instructed his disciples to get back into the boat and strike out across the lake to Bethsaida, where he would join them later. He himself would stay behind to see the crowds off home.
Afterwards he went up into the hills to pray.
John 6:15
Jesus saw that they were ready to take him by force and make him their king, so he went higher into the mountains alone.
Matthew 14:23-33
Night fell, and out on the lake the disciples were in trouble. For the wind had risen and they were fighting heavy seas.
About four o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water! They screamed in terror, for they thought he was a ghost.
But Jesus immediately spoke to them, reassuring them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. Then Peter called to him: “Sir, if it is really you, tell me to come over to you, walking on the water.” “All right,” the Lord said, “come along!”
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him. “O man of little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt?” And when they had climbed into the boat, the wind stopped.
The others sat there, awestruck. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
Mark 6:47-52
During the night, as the disciples in their boat were out in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land, he saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves.
About three o’clock in the morning he walked out to them on the water. He started past them, but when they saw something walking along beside them they screamed in terror, thinking it was a ghost, for they all saw him.
But he spoke to them at once. “It’s all right,” he said. “It is I! Don’t be afraid,” Then he climbed into the boat and the wind stopped.
The disciples just sat there, unable to take it in. For they still didn’t realize who he was, even after the miracle the evening before. They didn’t want to believe.
John 6:16-21
That evening his disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back they got into the boat and headed out across the lake towards Capernaum. But soon a gale swept down upon them as they rowed, and the sea grew very rough. They were three or four miles out when suddenly they saw Jesus walking towards the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them and told them not to be afraid. Then they were willing to let him in, and immediately the boat was where they were going.

Catching a lot of fish
Luke 5:1-11
One day as he was preaching on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, great crowds pressed on him to listen to the Word of God. He noticed two empty boats standing at the water’s edge while the fishermen washed their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push out a little into the water, so that he could sit in the boat and speak to the crowds from there.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!”
“Sir,” Simon replied, “We worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, we’ll try again.”
And this time their nets were so full that they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, sir, please leave us – I’m too much of a sinner to be near you.” For he was awestruck by the size of their catch, as were the others with him, and his partners too – James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus replied, “Don’t worry! From now on you’ll be fishing for men!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and went with him.

Jesus feeds five thousand
Matthew 14:13-21
As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds saw where he was heading, and followed by land from many villages.
So when Jesus came out of the wilderness, a vast crowd was waiting for him and he pitied them and healed those of them who were sick.
That evening the disciples came to him and said, “It is already past time for supper, and there is nothing to eat here in the desert; send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy some food.”
But Jesus replied, “That isn’t necessary – you feed them!”
“What!” they exclaimed. “We have exactly five small loaves of bread and two fish!”
“Bring them here,” he said.
Then he told the people to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up into the sky and asked God’s blessing on the meal, then broke the loaves apart and gave them to the disciples to place before the people. And everyone ate until full. And when the scraps were picked up afterwards, there were twelve basketsful left over. (About five thousand men were in the crowd that day, besides all the women and children.)
Mark 6:31-44
Then Jesus suggested, “Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.” For so many people were coming and going that they scarcely had time to eat. So they left by boat for a quieter spot. But many people saw them leaving and ran on ahead along the shore and met them as they landed. So the usual vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat; and he had pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he taught them many things they needed to know.
Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “Tell the people to go away to the nearby villages and farms and buy themselves some food, for there is nothing to eat here in this desolate spot, and it is getting late.”
But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “With what?” they asked. “It would take a fortune to buy food for this entire crowd!”
“How much food do we have?” he asked. “Go and find out.”
They came back to report that there were five loaves of bread and two fish. Then Jesus told the crowd to sit down, and soon groups of fifty or a hundred each were sitting on the grass.
He took the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, gave thanks for the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple to place before the people. And the crowd ate until they were full.
There were about five thousand men there for that meal, and afterwards twelve basketsful of scraps were picked up off the grass.
Luke 9:11-17
But the crowds found out where Jesus was going, and followed. And he welcomed them, teaching them again about the Kingdom of God and curing those who were ill.
Late in the afternoon all twelve disciples came and urged him to send the people away to the nearby villages and farms, to find food and lodging for the night. “For there is nothing to eat here in this deserted spot,” they said.
But Jesus replied, “You feed them!”
“Why, we have only five loaves of bread and two fish among the lot of us,” they protested; “or are you expecting us to go and buy enough for the whole crowd?” For there were about five thousand men there.
“Just tell them to sit down on the ground in groups of about fifty each,” Jesus replied. So they did.
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and looked up into the sky and gave thanks. Then he broke off pieces for his disciples to set before the crowd. And everyone ate and ate; despite that, twelve basketsful of scraps were picked up afterwards!
John 6:1-14
After this Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias, and a huge crowd, many of them pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration, were following him wherever he went, to watch him heal the sick. So when Jesus went up into the hills and sat down with his disciples around him, he soon saw a great multitude of people climbing the hill, looking for him.
Turning to Philip he asked, “Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” (He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.) Philip replied, “It would take a fortune to begin to do it!”
Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a youngster here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish! But what good is that with all this entire crowd?”
“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus ordered. And all of them – the approximate count of the men only was five thousand – sat down on the grassy slopes. Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks to God and passed them out to the people. Afterwards he did the same with the fish. And everyone ate their fill.
“Now gather the scraps,” Jesus told his disciples, “so that nothing is wasted.” And twelve baskets were filled with the left-overs.
When the people realized what a great miracle had happened, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”

Jesus feeds four thousand
Matthew 15:32-39
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I pity these people – they’ve been here with me for three days now, and have nothing left to eat; I don’t want to send them away hungry or they will faint along the road.”
The disciples replied, “And where would we get enough here in the desert for this huge crowd to eat?”
Jesus asked them, “How much food do you have?” And they replied, “Seven loaves of bread and a few small fish!”
Then Jesus told all of the people to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and gave thanks to God for them, and divided them into pieces, and gave them to the disciples who presented them to the crowd. And everyone ate until full – four thousand men besides the women and children. And afterwards, when the scraps were picked up, there were seven basketsful left over. Then Jesus sent the people home.
Mark 8:1-9
One day about this time as another great crowd gathered, the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples to discuss the situation.
“I pity these people,” he said, “for they have been here three days, and have nothing left to eat. And if I send them home without feeding them, they will faint along the road! For some of them have come a long distance.” “Are we supposed to find food for them in the desert?” his disciples asked.
“How many loaves of bread do you have?” he asked.
“Seven,” they replied. So he told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, broke them into pieces and passed them to his disciples; and the disciples placed them before the people. A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also gave thanks for these and told the disciples to serve them.
And the whole crowd ate until they were full, and afterwards he sent them home. There were about four thousand people in the crowd that day and when the scraps were picked up after the meal, there were seven large basketsful left over!

Jesus turns the water into wine
John 2:1-11
Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee, and Jesus and his disciples were invited too. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, and Jesus’ mother came to him with the problem.
“I can’t help you now,” he said. “It isn’t yet my time for miracles.”
But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to.”
Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held between twenty and thirty gallons each. Then Jesus told the servants to fill them to the brim with water. When this was done he said, “Draw some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.”
When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “This is wonderful stuff!” he said, “You’re different from most! Usually a host uses the best wine first, and afterwards, when everyone is full and doesn’t care, then he brings out the cheaper sort. But you have kept the best for the last.”
This miracle at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first public demonstration of his heaven-sent power. And his disciples believed that he really was the Messiah.

To Capernaum
John 2:12
After the wedding he left for Capernaum for a few days with his mother, brothers, and disciples.
Mark 9:33
And so they arrived at Capernaum.

A coin to cover the taxes
Matthew 17:24-27
On their arrival in Capernaum, the Temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your master pay taxes?”
“Of course he does,” Peter replied.
Then he went into the house to talk to Jesus about it, but before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings take tribute from their own people, or from conquered foreigners?” “From the foreigners,” Peter replied.
“Well, then,” Jesus said, “The citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the shore and throw in a line, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin to cover the taxes for both of us. Take it and pay them.”

Throw out your net
John 21:1-14
Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Lake of Galilee. This is how it happened:
A group of us were there – Simon Peter, Thomas, “The Twin,” Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, my brother James and I (John) and two other disciples.
Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come too,” we all said.
We did, but caught nothing all night. At dawn we saw a man standing on the beach but couldn’t see who he was.
He called, “Any fish, boys?”
“No,” we replied.
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of them!” So we did, and couldn’t draw in the net because of the weight of the fish, there were so many.
Then I said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” At that, Simon Peter put on his tunic (for he was stripped to the waist) and jumped into the water (and swam ashore). The rest of us stayed in the boat and pulled the loaded net to the beach, about three hundred feet away. When we got there, we saw that a fire was kindled and fish were frying over it, and there was bread.
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went out and dragged the net ashore. By his count there were one hundred and fifty- three large fish; and yet the net hadn’t torn.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said; and none of us dared ask him if he really was the Lord, for we were quite sure of it. Then Jesus went around serving us the bread and the fish.
This was the third time Jesus had appeared to us since his return from the dead.

Jesus and the fig tree
Matthew 21:18-19
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry. Noticing a fig tree beside the road, he went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. The he said to it, “Never bear fruit again!” And soon the fig tree withered up.
Mark 11:12-14
The next morning as they left Bethany, Jesus felt hungry. A little way off he noticed a fig tree in full leaf, so he went over to see if he could find any figs on it. But no, there were only leaves, for it was too early in the season for fruit.
Then Jesus said to the tree, “You shall never bear fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
Mark 11:20-23
Next morning, as they passed the fig tree he had cursed, they saw that it was withered from the roots. Then Peter remembered what he had said to the tree on the previous day, and exclaimed, “Look Teacher! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
In reply Jesus said to the disciples, “If you only have faith in God – this is the absolute truth – you can say to this Mount of Olives, ‘Rise up and fall into the Mediterranean,’ and your command will be obeyed. All that’s required is that you really believe and have no doubt!”

(2) Jesus’ healing physical and mental disorders

The sick were healed
Enormous crowds followed Jesus
Jesus heals a Roman officer’s servant boy
Jesus heals an official’s son
Peter’s mother-in-law with a high fever
A woman touched a tassel of Jesus’ robe
Jesus heals ten lepers
Jesus heals a leper
Jesus heals a paralysed person
Jesus heals a crippled man
Jesus heals a crippled woman
Jesus heals a man with a deformed hand
Jesus heals a man with dropsy (watery fluid collecting in the body)
Jesus heals blind men
Jesus heals a blind man
Jesus heals two blind men
Jesus heals a man blind from birth
Jesus heals many people
Jesus heals a deaf man with a speech impediment
Jesus calls four fishermen
Jesus removes an evil spirit
Jesus heals a daughter with a demon
Jesus removes a demon from a dumb man
Jesus heals a blind and dumb man
Jesus heals men with demons
Jesus removes a demon from a boy
Jesus restores a man’s ear

The sick were healed
Matthew 8:16-17
That evening several demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus; and when he spoke a single word, all the demons fled; and all the sick were healed. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, “He took our sicknesses and bore our diseases.”
Mark 1:32-34
By sunset the courtyard was filled with the sick and demon-possessed, brought to him for healing; and a huge crowd of people from all over the city of Capernaum gathered outside the door to watch. Jesus healed great numbers of sick folk that evening and ordered many demons to come out of their victims. (But he refused to allow the demons to speak, because they knew who was.)
Luke 4:40-41
As the sun went down that evening, all the villagers who had any sick people in their homes, no matter what their diseases were, brought them to Jesus; and the touch of his hands healed every one. Some were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But because they knew he was the Christ, he stopped them and told them to be silent.
Matthew 12:15
But he knew what they were planning, and left the synagogue, with many following him. He healed all the sick among them.

Enormous crowds followed Jesus
Matthew 4: 24-25
The report of his miracles spread far beyond the borders of Galilee so that sick folk were soon coming to be healed from as far away as Syria. And whatever their illness and pain, or if they were possessed by demons, or were insane, or paralysed – he healed them all.
Enormous crowds followed him wherever he went – people from Galilee, and the Ten Cities, and Jerusalem, and from all over Judea, and even from across the river Jordan. (“Ten Cities” - Decapolis – the district of 10 Greek cities east of the Sea of Galilee and extending as far north as Damascus)
Mark 3:7-12
Meanwhile, Jesus and his disciples withdrew to the beach, followed by a huge crowd from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from beyond the river Jordan, and even from as far away as Tyre and Sidon. For the news about his miracles had spread far and wide and vast numbers came to see him for themselves.
Jesus instructed his disciples to bring around a boat and to have it standing ready to rescue him in case he was crowded off the beach, for there had been many healings that day and as a result great numbers of sick people were crowding around him, trying to touch him.
Whenever those possessed by demons caught sight of him they would fall down before him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” But he strictly warned them not to make him known.
Matthew 14:34-36
They landed at Gennesaret. The news of their arrival spread quickly throughout the city, and soon people were rushing around, telling everyone to bring in their sick to be healed. The sick begged him to let them touch even the tassel of his robe, and all who did were healed.
Mark 6:53-56
When they arrived at Gennesaret on the other side of the lake they made fast their boat, and climbed out.
The people standing around there recognized him at once, and ran throughout the whole area to spread the news of his arrival, and began carrying sick people to him on mats and stretchers. Wherever he went – in villages and cities and out on the farms – they laid the sick in the market squares and streets, and begged him to let them at least touch the fringes of his clothes; and as many as touched him were healed.

Jesus heals a Roman officer’s servant boy
Matthew 8:1-13
Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the hillside.
When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, a Roman army captain came and pleaded with him to come to his home and heal his servant boy who was in bed paralysed and racked with pain.
“Yes,” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
Then the officer said, “I am not worthy to have you in my home; (and it isn’t necessary for you to come). If you will only stand here and say, ‘Be healed,’ my servant will get well. I know, because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers, and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave boy ‘Do this or that,’ and he does it. And I know you have authority to tell this sickness to go – and it will go!”
Jesus stood there amazed. Turning to the crowd he said, “I haven’t seen faith like this in all the land of Israel. And I tell you this, that many Gentiles (like this Roman officer), shall come from all over the world and sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And many an Israeli – those for whom the Kingdom was prepared – shall be cast into outer darkness, into the place of weeping and torment.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go on home. What you believe has happened!” And the boy was healed that same hour.
Luke 7:1-10
When he had finished his sermon he went back into the city of Capernaum.
Just at that time the highly prized slave of a Roman army captain was sick and near death. When the captain heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. So they began pleading earnestly with Jesus to come with them and help the man. They told him what a wonderful person the captain was.
“If anyone deserves your help, it is he,” they said, “for he loves the Jews and even paid personally to build us a synagogue!”
Jesus went with them. But just before he arrived at the house, the captain sent some friends to say, “Sir, don’t inconvenience yourself by coming to my home for I am not worthy of any such honour or even to come and meet you. Just speak a word from where you are, and my servant boy will be healed. I know, because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my men. I only need to say ‘Go!’ and they go; or ‘Come!’ and they come; and to my slave, ‘Do this or that,’ and he does it. (So just say, ‘Be healed!’ and my servant will be well again!”)
Jesus was amazed. Turning to the crowd he said, “Never among all the Jews in Israel have I met a man with faith like this.”
And when the captain’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

Jesus heals an official’s son
John 4:46-54
In the course of his journey through Galilee he arrived at the town of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. While he was there, a man in the city of Capernaum, a government official, whose son was very ill, heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was travelling in Galilee. This man went over to Cana, found Jesus, and begged him to come to Capernaum with him and heal his son, who was now at death’s door.
Jesus asked, “Won’t any of you believe in me unless I do more and more miracles?”
The official pleaded, “Sir, please come now before my child dies.”
Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son is healed.” And the man believed Jesus and started for home. While he was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that all was well – his son has recovered.
He asked them when the lad had begun to feel better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon about one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” Then the father realized it was the same moment that Jesus had told him, “Your son is healed,” And the officer and his entire household believed that Jesus was the Messiah. This was Jesus’ second miracle in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Peter’s mother-in-law with a high fever
Matthew 8:14-15
When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a high fever. But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her; and she got up and prepared a meal for them.
Mark 1:29-31
Then, leaving the synagogue, Jesus and his disciples went over to Simon and Andrew’s home, where they found Simon’s mother-in-law sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. He went to her bedside, and as he took her by the hand and helped her to sit up, the fever suddenly left, and she got up and prepared a meal for them.
Luke 4:38-39
After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged.
Standing at her bedside he spoke to the fever, rebuking it, and immediately her temperature returned to normal and she got up and prepared a meal for them.

A woman touched a tassel of Jesus’ robe
Matthew 9:20-22
A woman who had been ill for twelve years with internal bleeding came up behind Jesus and touched a tassel of his robe, for she thought, “If I only touch him, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned around and spoke to her. “Daughter,” he said, “all is well! Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was well from that moment.
Mark 5:24-34
The crowd thronged behind (Jesus). In the crowd was a woman who had been sick for twelve years with a haemorrhage. She had suffered much from many doctors through the years and had spent all her money on them, and was no better but, in fact, was worse. She had heard all about the wonderful miracles Jesus did, and that is why she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his clothes.
For she thought to herself, “If I just touch his clothing, I will be healed.” And sure enough, as soon as she had touched him, the bleeding stopped and she knew she was well.
Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
His disciples said to him, “this entire crowd pressing around you, and you ask who touched you?”
But he kept on looking around to see who it was who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him what she had done. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, healed of your disease.”
Luke 8:42-48
Jesus went with him, pushing through the crowds.
As they went a woman who wanted to be healed came up behind and touched him, for she had been slowly bleeding for twelve years, and could find no cure (though she had spent everything she had on doctors). But the instant she touched the edge of his robe, the bleeding stopped.
“Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, so many are crowding against you…” But Jesus told him, “No, it was someone who deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.”
When the woman realized that Jesus knew, she began to tremble and fell to her knees before him and told why she had touched him and that now she was well.
“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Jesus heals ten lepers
Luke 17:11-19
As they continued onward towards Jerusalem, they reached the border between Galilee and Samaria, and as they entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, sir, have mercy on us!”
He looked at them and said, “Go to the Jewish priest and show him that you are healed!” And, as they were going, their leprosy disappeared.
One of them came back to Jesus, shouting, “Glory to God, I’m healed!” He fell flat on the ground in front of Jesus, face downward in the dust, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a despised Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the nine? Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?”
And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well.”

Jesus heals a leper
Matthew 8:2-4
Look! A leper is approaching. He kneels before him, worshipping. “Sir,” the leper pleads, “if you want to, you can heal me.”
Jesus touches the man. “I want to,” he says; “be healed.” And instantly the leprosy disappears.
Then Jesus says to him, “Don’t stop to talk to anyone; go right over to the priest to be examined; and take with you the offering required by Moses law for lepers who are healed – a public testimony of your cure.”
Mark 1:40-44
Once a leper came and knelt in front of him and begged to be healed. “If you want to, you can make me well again,” he pleaded. Jesus, moved with pity, touched him and said, “I want to. Be healed!” Immediately the leprosy was gone – the man was healed. Jesus then told him sternly, “Go and be examined immediately by the Jewish priest. Don’t stop to speak to anyone along the way. Take along the offering prescribed by Moses for a leper who is healed, so that everyone will have proof that you are well again.”
Luke 5:12-14
One day in a certain village he was visiting, there was a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell to the ground before him, face downward in the dust, begging to be healed.
“Sir,” he said, “if only you will, you can clear me of every trace of my disease.”
Jesus reached out and touched the man and said, “Of course I will. Be healed.” And the leprosy left him instantly. Then Jesus instructed him to go at once without telling anyone what had happened and be examined by the Jewish priest. “Offer the sacrifice Moses law requires for lepers who are healed,” he said. “This will prove to everyone that you are well.”

Jesus heals a paralysed person
Mark 2:1-2
Several days later he returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the city. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn’t room for one more person, not even outside the door. And he preached the Word to them.
Luke 5:17
One day while he was teaching, some Jewish religious leaders and teachers of the Law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men turned up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was upon him.
Matthew 9:2-8
Soon some men brought him a paralysed boy on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick boy, “Cheer up, son. I have forgiven your sins!”
“Blasphemy! This man is saying he is God!” exclaimed some of the religious leaders to themselves.
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them, “Why are you thinking such evil thoughts? Is it any harder to forgive his sins than to heal him? Consequently, to prove that I have authority here on earth to forgive sins”- turning to the paralysed boy he said, “Get up, roll up your mat and walk home!” And the boy jumped up and left!
A chill of fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen right before their eyes. How they praised God for giving such authority to a man!
Mark 2:3-12
Four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a stretcher. They couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head and lowered the sick man on his stretcher, right down in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw how strongly they believed that he would help their friend, Jesus said to the sick man, “Son, your sins are forgiven!”
But some of the Jewish religious leaders said to themselves as they sat there, “What? This is blasphemy! Does he think he is God? For only God can forgive sins.”
Jesus could read their minds and said to them at once, “Why does this bother you? Is it any harder to forgive his sins than to heal him? So, to prove that I, the Man from Heaven, have forgiven his sins” – turning to the paralysed man - he said, “You are healed. Pick up your stretcher and go home!”
The man jumped up, took the stretcher, and pushed his way through the stunned onlookers. Then how they praised God! “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” they all exclaimed.
Luke 5:18-26
Then – look! Some men came carrying a paralysed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus but couldn’t reach him. So they went upon the roof above him, took off some tiles and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his sleeping mat, right in front of Jesus.
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”
“Who does this fellow think he is?” the Pharisees and teachers of the Law exclaimed among themselves. “This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins?”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he replied, “Why is it blasphemy? Is it any harder to forgive his sins than to heal him? Now I will prove my authority to forgive sin by demonstrating my power to heal disease.”
Then he said to the paralysed man, “Get up, roll up your sleeping mat and go on home.”
And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped to his feet, picked up his mat and went home praising God. Everyone present was gripped with awe and fear. And they praised God, saying over and over again, “We have seen strange things today.”

Jesus heals a crippled man
John 5:1-14
Afterwards Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish religious holidays. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was Bethesda Pool, with five covered platforms or porches surrounding it. Crowds of sick people – lame, blind, or with paralysed limbs – lay on the platforms (waiting for a certain movement of the water, for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and disturbed the water, and the first person to step down into it afterwards was healed).
One of the men lying there had been crippled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”
“I can’t,” the man said, “for I have no one to help me into the pool at the movement of the water. While I am trying to get there, someone else always gets ahead of me.”
Jesus told him, “Stand up, roll up your sleeping mat and go home!” Instantly, the man was healed. He rolled up the mat and began walking.
But it was on the Sabbath when this miracle was done. So the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! It’s illegal to carry that sleeping mat.!”
“The man who healed me told me to,” was his reply. “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. The man didn’t know, and Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; don’t sin as you did before, or something even worse may happen to you.”

Jesus heals a crippled woman
Luke 13:10-17
One Sabbath as he was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a seriously handicapped woman who had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to straighten herself. Calling her over to him Jesus said, “Woman, you are healed of your sickness!” He touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised and thanked God!
But the local Jewish leader in charge of the synagogue was very angry about it because Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week to work,” he shouted to the crowd. “Those are the days to come for healing, not on the Sabbath!”
But the Lord replied, “You hypocrite! You work on the Sabbath. Don’t you untie your cattle from the stalls on the Sabbath and lead them out for water? And is it wrong for me, just because it is the Sabbath day, to free this Jewish woman from Satan’s eighteen years of bondage?”
This shamed his enemies. And all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.

Jesus heals a man with a deformed hand
Matthew 12:9-14
Then he went over to the synagogue, and noticed there a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Is it legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day?” (They were, of course, hoping he would say “yes”, so they could arrest him.) This was his answer: “If you had just one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, would you work to rescue it that day? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, it is right to do good on the Sabbath. Then he turned to the man, “Stretch out your arm.” And as he did, his hand became normal, just like the other one!
Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot Jesus’ arrest and death.
Mark 3:1-6
While in Capernaum Jesus went over to the synagogue again, and noticed a man there with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. Would he heal the man’s hand? If he did, they planned to arrest him.
Jesus asked the man to come and stand in front of the congregation. Then turning to his enemies he asked, “Is it all right to do kind deeds on Sabbath days? Or is this a day for doing harm? Is it a day to save lives or to destroy them?” But they wouldn’t answer him. Looking around at them angrily, for he was deeply disturbed by their indifference to human need, he said to the man, “Reach out your hand.” He did, and instantly his hand was healed.
At once the Pharisees went away and met with the Herodians to discuss plans for killing Jesus.
Luke 6:6-11
On another Sabbath he was in the synagogue teaching, and a man was present whose right hand was deformed. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watched closely to see whether he would heal the man that day, since it was the Sabbath. For they were eager to bring some charge against him. How well he knew their thoughts! But he said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand here where everywhere can see.” So he did.
Then Jesus said to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, “I have a question for you. Is it right to do good on the Sabbath day, or to do harm? To save life, or to destroy it?” He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Reach out your hand.” And as he did, it became completely normal again. At this the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage, and began to plot his murder.

Jesus heals a man with dropsy (watery fluid collecting in the body)
Luke 14:1-6
One Sabbath as he was in the home of a member of the Jewish Council, the Pharisees were watching him like hawks to see if he would heal a man there who was suffering from dropsy.
Jesus said to the Pharisees and legal experts standing around, “Well, is it within the Law to heal a man on the Sabbath day, or not?”
And when they refused to answer, Jesus took the sick man by the hand and healed him and sent him away.
Then he turned to them: “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath?” he asked, “If your cow falls into a pit, don’t you proceed at once to get it out?”
Again they had no answer.

Jesus heals blind men
Matthew 20:29-34
As Jesus and the disciples left the city of Jericho, a vast crowd surged along behind.
Two blind men were sitting beside the road and when they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Sir, King David’s Son, have mercy on us!”
The crowd told them to be quiet, but they only yelled the louder.
When Jesus came to the place where they were he stopped in the road and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Sir,” they said, “we want to be able to see!”
Jesus was moved with pity for them and touched their eyes. And instantly they could see, and followed him.
Mark 10:46-52
And so they reached Jericho.
Later, as they left town, a great crowd was following. Now it happened that a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road as Jesus was going by.
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus from Nazareth was near, he began to shout out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Shut up!” some of the people yelled at him.
But he only shouted the louder, again and again, “O Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus heard him he stopped there in the road and said, “Tell him to come here.”
So they called the blind man. “You lucky fellow,” they said, “come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus tore off his old coat, flung it aside, jumped up and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “O Teacher,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “All right, it is done. Your faith has healed you.”
And instantly the blind man could see, and followed Jesus down the road.
Luke 18:35-43
As they approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging from travelers. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. He was told that Jesus from Nazareth was going by, so he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The crowds ahead of Jesus tried to hush the man, but he only yelled the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus arrived at the spot, he stopped. “Bring the blind man over here,” he said. Then Jesus asked the man, “What do you want?”
“Lord,” he pleaded, “I want to have my sight!” And Jesus said, ‘All right, begin seeing! Your faith has healed you.”
And instantly the man could see, and followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it happen praised God too.

Jesus heals a blind man
Mark 8:22-26
When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch and heal him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and spat upon his eyes, and laid his hands over them.
“Can you see anything now?” Jesus asked him.
The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see men. But I can’t see them very clearly; they look like tree trunks walking around!’
Then Jesus placed his hands over the man’s eyes again and as the man stared intently, his sight was completely restored, and he saw everything clearly, drinking in the sights around him.
Jesus sent him home to his family. “Don’t even go back to the village first,” he said.

Jesus heals two blind men
Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus was leaving, two blind men followed along behind, shouting,
“O Son of King David, have mercy on us.”
They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”
Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith it will happen.”
And suddenly they could see! Jesus sternly warned them not to tell anyone about it, but instead they spread his fame all over the town.

Jesus heals a man blind from birth
John 9:1-41
As he was walking along, he saw a man blind from birth. “Master,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?”
“Neither,” Jesus answered. “But to demonstrate the power of God. All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. But while I am still here in the world, I give it my light.”
Then he spat on the ground and made mud from the spittle and smoothed the mud over the blind man’s eyes, and told him, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam” (the word “Siloam” means “Sent”). So the man went where he was sent and washed and came back seeing.
His neighbours and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Is this the same fellow – that beggar?”
Some said yes, and some said no. “It can’t be the same man,” they thought, “but he certainly looks like him!” And the beggar said, “I am the same man.” Then they asked him how in the world he could see. What had happened? And he told them,” A man they call Jesus made mud and smoothed it over my eyes and told me to go to the Pool of Siloam and wash off the mud. I did, and I can see!” “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied.
Then they took the man to the Pharisees. (Now as it happened, this all occurred on a Sabbath.) Then the Pharisees asked him all about it. So he told them how Jesus had smoothed the mud over his eyes, and when it was washed away, he could see.
Some of them said, “Then this fellow Jesus is not from God, because he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miracles?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
Then the Pharisees turned on the man who had been blind and demanded, “This man who opened your eyes – who do you say he is?” “I think he must be a prophet sent from God,” the man replied.
The Jewish leaders wouldn’t believe he had been blind, until they called in his parents, and asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he see?”
His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know what happened to make him see, or, who did it. He is old enough to speak for himself. Ask him.”
They said this in fear of the Jewish leaders who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be excommunicated.
(John 9:24)
So for the second time the Pharisees called in the man who had been blind and told him, “Give the glory to God, not to Jesus, for we know Jesus is an evil person.”
“I don’t know whether he is good or bad,” the man replied, “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”
“Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once; didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know God has spoken to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t know anything about him.”
“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He can heal blind men, and yet you don’t know anything about him. Well, God doesn’t listen to evil men, but he does listen to those who worship him and do his will. Since the world began there has never been anyone who could open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do it.”
“You were born in sin,” they shouted. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out.
(John 9:35)
When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Messiah?”
The man answered, “Who is he, sir, for I want to.” “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he speaking to you.” “Yes, Lord,” the man said, “I believe!” And he worshipped Jesus.
Then Jesus told him, “I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
The Pharisees who were standing there asked, “Are you saying we are blind?”
“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But your guilt remains because you claim to know what you are doing.”

Jesus heals many people
Matthew 15:29-31
Jesus climbed a hill and sat there. And a vast crowd brought him their lame, blind, maimed, and those who couldn’t speak, and many others, and laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. What a spectacle it was! Those who hadn’t been able to say a word before were talking excitedly and those with missing arms and legs had new ones; the crippled were walking and jumping around, and those who had been blind were gazing about them! The crowds just marveled, and praised the God of Israel.

Jesus heals a deaf man with a speech impediment
Mark 7:32-37
A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to Jesus, and everyone begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man and heal him.
Jesus led him away from the crowd and put his fingers into the man’s ears, then spat and touched the man’s tongue with the saliva. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, “Open!” Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly.
Jesus told the crowd not to spread the news, but the more he forbade them, the more they made it known, for they were overcome with utter amazement. Again and again they said, “Everything he does is wonderful; he even corrects deafness and stammering!”

Jesus calls four fishermen
Matthew 4:18
One day as he was walking along the beach beside the Lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – (out in a boat) fishing with a net, for they were fishermen by trade.
Mark 1:16
One day as Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew fishing with nets, for they were fishermen by trade.
Mark 1:17-18
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me! And I will make you fishermen for men!” At once they left their nets and went with him.
A little farther up the beach, he saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat mending their nets. He called them, too, and immediately they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with him.
Mark 4:19-22
Jesus called out, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men!” And they left their nets at once and went with him.
A little farther up the beach he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and he called them to come too. At once they stopped their work and leaving their father behind, went with him.

Jesus removes an evil spirit
Mark 1:21-28

Jesus and his companions now arrived at the town of Capernaum and on Saturday morning went into the Jewish place of worship – the synagogue – where he preached. The congregation was surprised at his sermon because he spoke as an authority, and didn’t try to prove his points by quoting others – quite unlike what they were used to hearing.
A man possessed by a demon was present and began shouting, “Why are you bothering us, Jesus of Nazareth – have you come to destroy us demons? I know who you are – the holy Son of God!” Jesus curtly (reprimanded him sharply) and commanded the demon to say no more and to come out of the man. At that the evil spirit screamed and convulsed the man violently and left him. Amazement gripped the audience and they began discussing what had happened.
“What sort of new religion is this?” they asked excitedly. “Why, even evil spirits obey his orders!”
The news of what he had done spread quickly through that entire area of Galilee.
Luke 4:31-37
Jesus preached there in the synagogue every Saturday. Here, too, the people were amazed at the things he said. For he spoke as one who knew the truth, instead of merely quoting the opinions of others as his authority.
Once as Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon began shouting at Jesus, “Go away! We want nothing to do with you, Jesus from Nazareth. You have come to destroy us. I know who you are – the Holy Son of God.”
Jesus cut him short. “Be silent!” he told the demon. “Come out!” The demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched, and then left him without hurting him further.
Amazed, the people asked, “What is in this man’s words that even demons obey him?” The story of what he had done spread like wildfire throughout the whole region.
Matthew 15:21
Jesus then left that part of the country and walked the fifty miles to Tyre and Sidon.
Mark 7:24
Then Jesus left Galilee and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Jesus heals a daughter with a demon
Matthew 15:22-28
A woman from Canaan who was living there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy (pity) upon me, O Lord, King David’s son! For my daughter has a demon within her, and it torments her constantly.”
But Jesus gave her no reply – not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said, “for she is bothering us with all her begging.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent to help the Jews, not the Gentiles.”
But she came and worshipped him and pleaded again, “Sir, help me!” “It doesn’t seem right to take bread from the children and throw it to the dogs,” he said. “Yes, it is!” she replied, “for even the puppies beneath the table are permitted to eat the crumbs that fall.”
“Woman,” Jesus told her. “Your faith is large, and your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed immediately.
Mark 7:24-30
Jesus tried to keep it a secret that he was there, but couldn’t. For as usual the news of his arrival spread fast.
Right away a woman came to him whose little girl was possessed by a demon. She had heard about Jesus and now she came and fell at his feet, and pleaded with him to release her child from the demon’s control. (But she was Syrophoenician – a “despised Gentile.”)
Jesus told her, “First I should help my own family – the Jews. It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied, “That’s true, sir, but even the puppies under the table are given some scraps from the children’s plates. “Good!” he said, “You have answered well – so well that I have healed your little girl. Go home, for the demon has left her!”
And when she arrived home, her little girl was lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.
Matthew 15:29
Jesus now returned to the Sea of Galilee.
Mark 7:31
From Tyre he went to Sidon, then back to the Sea of Galilee by way of the Ten Towns.

Jesus removes a demon from a dumb man
Matthew 9:32-33
Jesus met a man who couldn’t speak because a demon was inside him. So Jesus cast out the demon, and instantly the man could talk. How the crowds marveled! “Never in all our lives have we seen anything like this,” they exclaimed.

Jesus heals a blind and dumb man
Matthew 12:22
Then a demon possessed man – he was both blind and unable to talk – was brought to Jesus, and Jesus healed him so that he could both speak and see.

Jesus heals men with demons
Matthew 8:28-34
When they arrived on the other side of the lake, in the country of the Gadarenes, two men with demons in them met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so dangerous that no one could go through that area.
They began screaming at him, “What do you want with us, O Son of God? You have no right to torment us yet.”
A herd of pigs was feeding in the distance, so the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” “All right,” Jesus told them. “Be gone.”
And they came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd rushed over a cliff and drowned in the water below. The herdsmen fled to the nearest city with the story of what had happened, and the entire population came rushing out to see Jesus, and begged him to go away and leave them alone.
Mark 5:1-20
When they arrived at the other side of the lake a demon-possessed man ran out from a graveyard, just as Jesus was climbing from the boat.
This man lived among the grave stones, and had such strength that whenever he was put into handcuffs and shackles – as he often was – he snapped the handcuffs from his wrists and smashed the shackles and walked away. No one was strong enough to control him. All day long and through the night he would wander among the tombs and in the wild hills, screaming and cutting himself with sharp pieces of stone.
When Jesus was still far out on the water, the man had seen him and now he ran to meet Jesus, and fell down before him.
Then Jesus spoke to the demon within the man and said, “Come out, you evil spirit.”
It gave a terrible scream, shrieking, “What are you going to do to me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God’s sake, don’t torture me!”
“What is your name?” Jesus asked, and the demon replied, “Legion, for there are many of us here within this man.”
Then the demons begged him again and again not to send them to some distant land.
Now as it happened there was a huge herd of pigs rooting around on the hill above the lake. “Send us into those pigs,” the demons begged.
And Jesus gave them permission. Then the evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
The herdsmen fled to the nearby towns and countryside, spreading the news as they ran. Everyone rushed out to see for themselves, and a large crowd soon gathered where Jesus was; but as they saw the man sitting there, fully clothed and perfectly sane, they were frightened. Those who saw what had happened were telling everyone about it, so that a crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. So he got back into the boat. The man who had been possessed by the demons begged Jesus to let him go too. But Jesus refused to agree.
“Go home to your friends,” he told him, “and tell them what wonderful things God has done for you; and how merciful he has been.”
So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and they were amazed by his story.
Luke 8:26-39
So they arrived at the other side, in the Gerasene country across the lake from Galilee. As he was climbing out of the boat a man from the city of Gadara came to meet him, a man who had been demon-possessed for a long time. Homeless and naked, he lived in a cemetery among the tombs. As soon as he saw Jesus he shrieked and fell to the ground before him, screaming, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of God Most High? Please, I beg you, oh, don’t torment me!”
For Jesus was already commanding the demon to leave him. This demon had often taken control of the man so that even when shackled with chains he simply broke them and rushed out into the desert, completely under the demon’s power. “What is your name?” Jesus asked the demon. “Legion,” they replied – for the man was filled with thousands of them. They kept begging him not to order them into the Bottomless Pit.
A herd of pigs was feeding on the mountain-side nearby, and the demons pleaded with him to let them enter into the pigs. And Jesus said they could. So they left the man and went into the pigs, and immediately the whole herd rushed down the mountain-side and fell over a cliff into the lake below, where they drowned. The herdsmen rushed away to the nearby city, spreading the news as they ran.
Soon a crowd came out to see for themselves what had happened and saw the man who had been demon possessed sitting quietly at Jesus’ feet, clothed and sane! And the whole crowd was badly frightened. Then those who had seen it happen told how the demon-possessed man had been healed. And everyone begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone (for a deep wave of fear had swept over them). So he returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.
The man who had been demon-possessed begged to go too, but Jesus refused to let him. “Go back to your family,” he told him, “and tell them what a wonderful thing God has done for you.”
So he went all through the city telling everyone about Jesus’ mighty miracle.

Jesus removes a demon from a boy
Matthew 17:14-21
When they arrived at the bottom of the hill, a huge crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son, for he is mentally deranged, and in great trouble, for he often falls into the fire or into the water; so I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t cure him.”
Jesus replied, “Oh, you stubborn, faithless people! How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy and it left him, and from that moment the boy was well.
Afterwards the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast that demon out?”
“Because of your little faith,” Jesus told them. “For if you had faith even as small as a tiny mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move!” and it would go far away. Nothing would be impossible. But this kind of demon won’t leave unless you have prayed and gone without food.”
Mark 9:14-29
At the bottom of the mountain they found a great crowd surrounding the other nine disciples, as some Jewish leaders argued with them. The crowd watched Jesus in awe as he came towards them, and then ran to greet him “What is the matter,” he asked.
One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son for you to heal – he can’t talk because he is possessed by a demon. And whenever the demon is in control of him it dashes him to the ground and makes him foam at the mouth, grind his teeth and become rigid. So I begged your disciples to cast out the demon, but they couldn’t do it.”
Jesus said (to his disciples), “Oh, what tiny faith you have; how much longer must I be with you until you believe? How much longer must I be patient with you? Bring the boy to me.”
So they brought the boy, but when he saw Jesus the demon convulsed the child horribly, and he fell to the ground writhing and foaming at the mouth.
“How long has he been this way?” Jesus asked the father.
And he replied, “Since he was very small. The demon often makes him fall into the fire or into water to kill him. Oh, have mercy on us and do something if you can.”
“If I can?” Jesus asked, “Anything is possible if you have faith.”
The father instantly replied, “I do have faith; oh, help me to have more!”
When Jesus saw that the crowd was growing he rebuked the demon.
“O demon of deafness and dumbness,” he said, “I command you to come out of this child and enter him no more!”
Then the demon screamed terribly and convulsed the boy again and left him; and the boy lay there limp and motionless, to all appearance dead. A murmur ran through the crowd – “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet and he stood up and was all right! Afterwards, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast that demon out?”
Jesus replied, “Cases like this require prayer.”
Luke 9:37-43
The next day as they descended from the hill, a huge crowd met him, and a man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, this boy here is my only son, and a demon keeps seizing him, making him scream; and it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth; it is always hitting him and hardly ever leaves him alone. I begged your disciples to cast the demon out, but they couldn’t.”
“O you stubborn, faithless people,” Jesus said (to his disciples). “How long should I put up with you? Bring him here.”
As the boy was coming the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus ordered the demon to come out, and healed the boy and handed him over to his father.
Awe gripped the people as they saw this display of the power of God.

Jesus restores a man’s ear
Matthew 26:51-52
One of the men with Jesus pulled a sword and slashed off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. “Put away you sword,” Jesus told him.
Mark 14:47
But someone pulled a sword and slashed at the High Priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.
John 18:10-11
Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the High Priest’s servant. But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away.”
Luke 22:48-51
Jesus said, “Judas, how can you do this – betray the Messiah with a kiss?”
When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Master, shall we fight? We brought along the swords!” And one of them slashed at the High Priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said, “Don’t resist any more.” And he touched the place where the man’s ear had been and restored it.

(3) Jesus’ bringing the dead back to life

Jesus raises a widow’s son
Jesus raises a rabbi’s, an official’s daughter
Jesus raises Lazarus
Jesus, the Messiah, the proof is in the miracles

Jesus raises a widow’s son
Luke 7:11-17
Not long afterwards Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, with the usual great crowd at his heals. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The boy who had died was the only son of his widowed mother, and many mourners from the village were with her.
When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with sympathy, “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Son,” he said, “come back to life again.”
Then the boy sat up and began to talk to those around him. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
A great fear swept the crowd, and they exclaimed with praises to God, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “We have seen the hand of God at work today.”
The report of what he did that day raced from end to end of Judea and even out across the border.
Matthew 9:1
Jesus climbed into a boat and went across the lake to Capernaum, his home town.
Mark 5:21
When Jesus had gone across by boat to the other side of the lake a vast crowd gathered around him on the shore.
Luke 8:40
On the other side of the lake the crowds received him with open arms, for they had been waiting for him.

Jesus raises a rabbi’s, an official’s daughter
Matthew 9:18-19
The rabbi of the local synagogue came and worshipped him. “My little daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you will only come and touch her.”
As Jesus and the disciples were going to the rabbi’s home…
Mark 5:22-24
The leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, came and fell down before him, pleading with him to heal his little daughter.
“She is at the point of death,” he said in desperation. “Please come and place your hands on her and make her live.”
Jesus went with him.
Luke 8:41-42
And now a man named Jairus, a leader of a Jewish synagogue, came and fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come home with him, for his only child was dying, a little girl twelve years old.
Matthew 9:23-26
When Jesus arrived at the rabbi’s home and saw the noisy crowds and heard the funeral music, he said, “Get them out, for the little girl isn’t dead; she is only sleeping!” Then how they all scoffed and sneered at him! When the crowd was finally outside, Jesus went in where the little girl was lying and took her by the hand, and she jumped up and was all right again! The report of this wonderful miracle swept the entire countryside.
Mark 5:35-43
Messengers arrived from the home of Jairus with the news that it was too late – his daughter was dead and there was no point in Jesus’ coming now. But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me.”
Then Jesus halted the crowd and would not let anyone go on with him to Jairus’ home except Peter and James and John. When they arrived, Jesus saw that everything was in confusion, with unrestrained weeping and wailing. He went inside and spoke to the people.
“Why all this weeping and commotion?” he asked, “The child is not dead; she is only asleep!”
They laughed at him bitterly, but he told them all to leave, and taking the little girl’s father and mother and his three disciples, he went into the room where she was lying.
Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Get up, little girl!” (She was twelve years old.) And she jumped up and walked around! Her parents were overwhelmed. Jesus instructed them very seriously not to tell what had happened, and told them to give her something to eat.
Luke 8:49-56
A messenger arrived from the Jairus’ home with the news that the little girl was dead. “She’s gone,” he told her father; “there’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”
But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to the father, Don’t be afraid! Just trust me, and she’ll be all right.”
When they arrived at the house Jesus wouldn’t let anyone into the room except Peter, James and John and the little girl’s father and mother. The home was filled with mourning people, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she is only asleep!” This brought scoffing and laughter, for they all knew she was dead.
Then he took her by the hand and called, “Get up, little girl!” And at that moment her life returned and she jumped up. “Give her something to eat!” he said. Her parents were overcome with happiness, but Jesus insisted that they were not to tell anyone the details of what had happened.

Jesus raises Lazarus
John 11:1-46
Do you remember Mary, who poured the costly perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair? Well, her brother Lazarus, who lived in Bethany with Mary and her sister Martha, was ill. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Sir, your good friend is very, very ill.”
But when Jesus heard about it he said, “The purpose of his illness is not death, but for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this situation.”
Although Jesus was very fond of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days and made no move to go to them. Finally, after the two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go to Judea.”
But his disciples objected, “Master,” they said, “only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you. Are you going there again?”
Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day, and during every hour of it a man can walk safely and not stumble. Only at night is there danger of a wrong step, because of the dark.” Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has gone to sleep, but now I will go and waken him!”
The disciples, thinking Jesus meant Lazarus was having a good night’s rest, said, “That means he is getting better.” But Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
Then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, for this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let’s go to him.”
Thomas, nicknamed “The Twin,” said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go too – and die with him.”
When they arrived at Bethany, they were told that Lazarus had already been in his tomb for four days. Bethany was only a couple of miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish leaders had come to pay their respects and to console Martha and Mary on their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to met him. But Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Sir, if you had been there, my brother wouldn’t have died. And even now it’s not too late, for I know that God will bring my brother back to life again, if you will only ask him to.”
Jesus told her, “Your brother will come back to life again.”
“Yes,” Martha said, “when everyone else does, on Resurrection Day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish. Do you believe this Martha?”
“Yes, Master,” she told him. “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one we have so long awaited.”
Then she left him and returned to Mary, and calling her aside from the mourners, told her, “He is here and wants to see you.” So Mary went to him at once.
Now Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the Jewish leaders who were at the house trying to console Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’ tomb to weep; so they followed her.
When Mary arrived where Jesus was, she fell down at his feet, saying, “Sir, if you had been here, my brother would still be alive.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jewish leaders wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and deeply troubled. “Where is he buried?” he asked them.
They told him, “Come and see.” Tears came to Jesus’ eyes.
“They were close friends,” the Jewish leaders said. “See how much he loved him.”
But some said, “This fellow healed a blind man – why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?” And again Jesus was moved with deep indignation. Then they came to the tomb. It was a cave with a heavy stone rolled across its door.
“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, said, “By now the smell will be terrible, for he has been dead four days.”
“But didn’t I tell you that you will see a wonderful miracle from God if you believe?” Jesus asked her.
So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. (You always hear me, of course, but I said it because of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.)” Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”
And Lazarus came – bound up in the gravecloth, his face muffled in a bandage. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”
And so at last many of the Jewish leaders who were with Mary and saw it happen, finally believed on him. But some went away to the Pharisees and reported it to them.

Jesus, the Messiah, the proof is in the miracles
John 10:22-39
It was winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of the Dedication Celebration. He was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Hall. The Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
“I have already told you, and you didn’t believe me,” Jesus replied. “The proof is in the miracles I do in the name of my Father. But you don’t believe me because you are not part of my flock. My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else, so no one can kidnap them from me. I and the Father are one.”
Then again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him.
Jesus said, “At God’s direction I have done many a miracle to help the people. For which one are you killing me?”
They replied, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy (speaking with disrespect about God or sacred things); you, a mere man, have declared yourself to be God.”
“In your own Law it says that men are gods,” he replied. “So if the Scripture, which cannot be untrue, speaks of those as gods to whom the message of God came, do you call it blasphemy when the one sanctified (dedicated and holy) and sent into the world by the Father says, ‘I am the Son of God’? Don’t believe me unless I do miracles of God. But if I do, believe them even if you don’t believe me. Then you will become convinced that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
Once again they started to arrest him. But he walked away and left them.
Matthew 12:16-21
But Jesus cautioned them against spreading the news about his miracles. This fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: “Look at my Servant. See my Chosen One. He is my Beloved, in whom my soul delights. I will put my spirit upon him, and he will judge the nations. He does not fight nor shout; he does not raise his voice! He does not crush the weak, or quench the smallest hope; he will end all conflict with his final victory, and his name shall be the hope of all (the entire) world.”