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Giovedi, 28 marzo 2024 - San Castore di Tarso ( Letture di oggi)

Mark 5


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1They reached the territory of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake,2and when he disembarked, a man with an unclean spirit at once came out from the tombs towards him.3The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain,4because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken thefetters, and no one had the strength to control him.5All night and al day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself withstones.6Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fel at his feet7and shouted at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? InGod's name do not torture me!'8For Jesus had been saying to him, 'Come out of the man, unclean spirit.'9Then he asked, 'What is your name?' He answered, 'My name is Legion, for there are many of us.'10And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.11Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding,12and the unclean spirits begged him, 'Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.'13So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd ofabout two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned.14The men looking after them ran off and told their story in the city and in the country round about; andthe people came to see what had real y happened.15They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there -- the man who had had the legion in him --properly dressed and in his ful senses, and they were afraid.16And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had becomeof the pigs.17Then they began to implore Jesus to leave their neighbourhood.18As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be al owed to stay withhim.19Jesus would not let him but said to him, 'Go home to your people and tel them al that the Lord in hismercy has done for you.'20So the man went off and proceeded to proclaim in the Decapolis al that Jesus had done for him. Andeveryone was amazed.21When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and hestayed by the lake.22Then the president of the synagogue came up, named Jairus, and seeing him, fel at his feet23and begged him earnestly, saying, 'My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your handson her that she may be saved and may live.'24Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing al round him.25Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years;26after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she had spent al she had without being anythe better for it; in fact, she was getting worse.27She had heard about Jesus, and she came up through the crowd and touched his cloak from behind,thinking,28'If I can just touch his clothes, I shal be saved.'29And at once the source of the bleeding dried up, and she felt in herself that she was cured of hercomplaint.30And at once aware of the power that had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd andsaid, 'Who touched my clothes?'31His disciples said to him, 'You see how the crowd is pressing round you; how can you ask, "Whotouched me?" '32But he continued to look al round to see who had done it.33Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened toher, and she fel at his feet and told him the whole truth.34'My daughter,' he said, 'your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free of yourcomplaint.'35While he was stil speaking some people arrived from the house of the president of the synagogue tosay, 'Your daughter is dead; why put the Master to any further trouble?'36But Jesus overheard what they said and he said to the president of the synagogue, 'Do not be afraid;only have faith.'37And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.38So they came to the house of the president of the synagogue, and Jesus noticed al the commotion,with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly.39He went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.'40But they ridiculed him. So he turned them al out and, taking with him the child's father and mother andhis own companions, he went into the place where the child lay.41And taking the child by the hand he said to her, 'Talitha kum!' which means, 'Little girl, I tel you to getup.'42The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At once they wereovercome with astonishment,43and he gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something toeat.