Chapter Text
Women Who Ministered to Jesus
And it came to pass afterward , that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
The Parable of the Sower
4And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
17For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad .
18Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
19Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
20And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
Jesus Calms the Storm
22Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
24And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another , What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
A Demon-Possessed Man Healed
26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
27And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
29(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
30And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
31And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
32And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
33Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
35Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
36They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
37Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
38Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
Jairus's Daughter and a Sick Woman
40And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
41And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
42For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years , which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
49While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
50But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
51And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
52And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
55And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
56And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
Summary
Jesus travels through cities and villages preaching the kingdom of God, accompanied by the twelve and several women who support His ministry from their own resources. He teaches the parable of the sower and explains its meaning privately to His disciples.
His mother and brethren come seeking Him, and He declares that those who hear and do the Word of God are His true family. He calms a storm on the sea, delivers the Gadarene demoniac, heals the woman with the issue of blood, and raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.
Meaning
Luke uniquely records the women who supported Jesus' ministry, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna. Their inclusion highlights Luke's emphasis on the dignity and participation of women in God's purposes, a radical element in the first-century context.
The four miracles at the chapter's end demonstrate Jesus' authority over every domain: nature in the calming of the storm, the demonic realm in the Gadarene deliverance, chronic illness in the woman's healing, and death itself in the raising of Jairus' daughter. No realm of creation lies outside His sovereign command.
Background
Women patrons supporting traveling teachers was unusual in Jewish culture. Joanna was the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, indicating that Jesus' influence reached even into Herod's household.
The country of the Gadarenes was across the Sea of Galilee in Gentile territory. The demoniac's request to go with Jesus was denied so that he could serve as a witness in his own region, demonstrating that every believer has a mission field where they are.
Chapter Outline
- vv. 1-3The women who followed Jesus
- vv. 4-15The Parable of the Sower and its meaning
- vv. 16-18The lamp and the call to hear
- vv. 19-21Jesus' true family
- vv. 22-25Stilling the storm on the lake
- vv. 26-39Deliverance of the Gadarene demoniac
- vv. 40-56Healing the woman and raising Jairus' daughter
Key Verses
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”— 8:11
Christ's own interpretive key to the Parable of the Sower, identifying Scripture itself as the seed and grounding all subsequent reception imagery in the authority of God's word.
“But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”— 8:15
The climactic definition of true discipleship — hearing, keeping, and patiently bearing fruit — a verse central to teaching on perseverance and spiritual receptivity.
“And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”— 8:25
A pivotal christological declaration: Jesus' authority over creation evokes the question of His divine identity, echoing Old Testament portraits of Yahweh stilling the seas.
“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”— 8:48
A tender affirmation that links faith to wholeness, frequently cited in pastoral and devotional contexts on the personal nature of Christ's healing.
People & Places
People
- Jesus — The Christ, traveling through Galilee preaching the kingdom and performing four major miracles in this chapter.
- Mary Magdalene — A devoted follower delivered from seven devils, named first among the women supporting Jesus' ministry.
- Joanna — Wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, who supported Jesus' ministry from her own means.
- Susanna — One of the women who ministered to Jesus from her substance, mentioned only here in Scripture.
- Chuza — Steward of Herod Antipas, whose wife Joanna followed Jesus.
- The Twelve — Jesus' chosen apostles who accompanied Him in His itinerant preaching.
- Jesus' mother and brethren — Mary and Jesus' kin who came seeking Him while He taught the multitudes.
- The Gadarene demoniac — A man tormented by a legion of devils, delivered by Jesus and commissioned to testify in his own city.
- Jairus — A ruler of the synagogue who pleaded with Jesus to heal his only daughter.
- The woman with the issue of blood — A long-suffering sufferer healed by touching the hem of Jesus' garment in faith.
- Jairus' daughter — A twelve-year-old girl raised from the dead by Jesus' command.
- Peter, James, and John — The inner circle of disciples permitted to witness the raising of Jairus' daughter.
Places
- Galilee — The northern region where Jesus conducted much of His itinerant ministry.
- The lake (Sea of Galilee) — The freshwater lake where Jesus stilled the storm during the crossing.
- Country of the Gadarenes — Gentile territory east of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus delivered the demoniac.
Prophecy & Fulfillment
Jesus' explanation in verse 10 — 'that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand' — directly invokes Isaiah 6:9-10, applying the prophet's commission of judicial blindness to His own parabolic teaching. The stilling of the storm (vv. 22-25) fulfills the Old Testament portrait of Yahweh as the One who 'maketh the storm a calm' (Psalm 107:29) and 'ruleth the raging of the sea' (Psalm 89:9), implicitly identifying Jesus with the Lord of creation. The raising of Jairus' daughter foreshadows Christ's own resurrection power and anticipates the eschatological promise that the dead shall hear His voice and live (cf. John 5:25).
Devotional
Luke 8 confronts us with the question of how we hear. The same word falls on every heart, but only soil tilled by honesty and patience yields lasting fruit. Cares, riches, and shallow enthusiasm all conspire to choke what God plants in us.
Yet the chapter is also tender. A frightened woman reaches through a crowd, a grieving father pleads at Jesus' feet, a tormented man finds his right mind. Whatever storm rages — outward or inward — Christ speaks peace. Our task is simply to bring our small faith to Him and trust that He is, indeed, Master even of the wind and the waves.
Literary Style
Gospel narrative interwoven with parable and dialogue. Luke arranges four demonstrations of Christ's authority — over Satan, nature, demons, disease, and death — in a tightly structured sequence, framed by Jesus' teaching on receptive hearing and punctuated by vivid eyewitness detail.