← All Chapters The Book of Mark · Chapter 5

Mark 5: Power Over Demons, Disease, and Death

Jesus frees a tormented man from a legion of demons, heals a suffering woman through her reach of faith, and raises a little girl from death.

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Mark 5 (WEB)

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

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

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

4 because 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.

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

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

7 and 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

13 At 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.

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

15 They 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.

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

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

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

19 He 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.”

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

21 When 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.

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

23 and 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.”

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

25 A certain woman, who had an issue of blood for twelve years,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 They 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.

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

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

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

Summary

Crossing to the region of the Gerasenes, Jesus meets a man possessed by a legion of demons, living among the tombs, uncontrollable and self-harming. Jesus casts the demons into a herd of pigs that rushes into the sea, and the man is found clothed and in his right mind. The frightened townspeople beg Jesus to leave, but he sends the freed man home to tell what the Lord has done. Back across the sea, the synagogue ruler Jairus pleads for his dying daughter. On the way, a woman who has bled for twelve years touches Jesus' garment in faith and is instantly healed; Jesus draws her into the open and commends her faith. Word comes that the girl has died, but Jesus says only to believe. Entering the house, he takes the child by the hand, tells her to arise, and she gets up and walks, to the amazement of all.

Main Characters

  • Jesus — The Lord who frees the demon-possessed, heals the sick, and raises the dead.
  • The Gerasene man — A man freed from a legion of demons who is sent to tell what the Lord has done.
  • Jairus — A synagogue ruler who falls at Jesus' feet, pleading for his dying daughter.
  • The woman with the flow of blood — A long-suffering woman healed when she reaches out in faith to touch Jesus' clothes.

Key Verse

Mark 5:36 (WEB)

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

Lessons Learned

  • No bondage is too deep for Jesus to break and restore a person whole.
  • Faith may be trembling and quiet, yet still take hold of Christ's power.
  • Jesus calls us to bring our faith into the open and into relationship with him.
  • Even death gives way before the word of Jesus.
  • Jesus restores the most broken to their right mind. The townspeople find the formerly possessed man 'sitting, clothed, and in his right mind' (Mark 5:15, WEB).
  • The healed are sent to tell of God's mercy. Jesus tells him, 'Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you' (Mark 5:19, WEB).
  • Reaching out in faith brings healing. Jesus tells the woman, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace' (Mark 5:34, WEB).
  • Faith is the answer to fear. When word comes that the girl has died, Jesus says, 'Don't be afraid, only believe' (Mark 5:36, WEB).
  • Jesus speaks life where there is death. He takes the child's hand and says, 'Little girl, I tell you, get up!' and immediately she rises and walks (Mark 5:41-42, WEB).
  1. How is the demon-possessed man described before and after Jesus frees him, and what does the change reveal?
  2. Why does Jesus send the freed man to tell his own people rather than follow him?
  3. What does the healing of the bleeding woman teach about faith, and why does Jesus call her forward?
  4. How does Jesus respond to the news of the girl's death, and what does her raising reveal about him?
  5. Where in your own life do you need to reach out to Jesus in faith despite fear or shame?
  1. Before, the man lives among the tombs, uncontrollable, crying out and cutting himself (Mark 5:3-5). Afterward he sits clothed and in his right mind (Mark 5:15). Jesus restores not only sanity but dignity and peace.
  2. Jesus sends him home to tell his friends what great things the Lord has done and how he had mercy (Mark 5:19). The freed man becomes a witness among his own people, and all marvel at his testimony.
  3. The woman touches Jesus' garment believing she will be healed, and she is (Mark 5:28-29). Jesus calls her forward not to shame her but to commend her faith and send her in peace, turning a secret touch into a personal blessing.
  4. Jesus ignores the report and tells Jairus, 'Don't be afraid, only believe' (Mark 5:36). Taking the child's hand, he commands her to rise, and she does (Mark 5:41-42), revealing his authority even over death.
  5. This is a personal application question. Invite members to name where fear or shame keeps them from reaching out to Christ. As leader, encourage gentle honesty and point to the woman's welcome and the words 'only believe,' but do not press anyone to share more than they wish.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.