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Gospels · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Mark 5

A fast-moving account of Jesus' authority, suffering service, cross, and resurrection.

New Testament

Mark 5

1They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs.

3He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains,

4because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him.

5Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones.

6When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him,

7and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.”

8For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

9He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

10He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding.

12All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.”

13At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.

14Those who fed the pigs fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened.

15They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid.

16Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs.

17They began to beg him to depart from their region.

18As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him.

19He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you.”

20He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled.

21When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side, a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea.

22Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet

23and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.”

24He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides.

25A certain woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years,

26and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse,

27having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes.

28For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.”

29Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

30Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

32He looked around to see her who had done this thing.

33But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.”

35While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”

36But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”

37He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

38He came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing.

39When he had entered in, he said to them, “Why do you make an uproar and weep? The child is not dead, but is asleep.”

40They ridiculed him. But he, having put them all out, took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying.

41Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!”

42Immediately the girl rose up and walked, for she was twelve years old. They were amazed with great amazement.

43He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

A fast-moving account of Jesus' authority, suffering service, cross, and resurrection. Read Mark 5 within the complete Mark overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Mark 5

Mark 5 contains 43 verses and about 888 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 43 closes: “He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include great, immediately, been, pigs, begged, demons. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Mark 5

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Mark 5:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer