The Life of Jesus

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.

For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.

Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how.

All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within.

And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?

It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.

But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”

With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.

He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.”

After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.

Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.

But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”

Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”

Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes.

As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.

This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains.

Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him.

Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.