Study Desk

That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the east side."

So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along.

Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?"

Jesus asked his disciples, "Why were you afraid? Don't you have any faith?"

Jesus and his disciples crossed Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa.

When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had once been full of demons. He was sitting there with his clothes on and in his right mind, and they were terrified.

The person in charge of the Jewish meeting place was also there. His name was Jairus, and when he saw Jesus, he went over to him. He knelt at Jesus' feet

The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes.

She had said to herself, "If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well."

His disciples said to him, "Look at all these people crowding around you! How can you ask who touched you?"

But the people laughed at him. After Jesus had sent them all out of the house, he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples and went to where she was.

Jesus left and returned to his hometown with his disciples.

Isn't he the carpenter, the son of Mary? Aren't James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon his brothers? Don't his sisters still live here in our town?" The people were very unhappy because of what he was doing.

Jesus could not work any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people by placing his hands on them.

Then he called together his twelve apostles and sent them out two by two with power over evil spirits.

But when Herod heard about Jesus, he said, "This must be John! I had his head cut off, and now he has come back to life."

Herod had earlier married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. But John had told him, "It isn't right for you to take your brother's wife!" So, in order to please Herodias, Herod arrested John and put him in prison.

Finally, Herodias got her chance when Herod gave a great birthday celebration for himself and invited his officials, his army officers, and the leaders of Galilee.

The daughter of Herodias came in and danced for Herod and his guests. She pleased them so much that Herod said, "Ask for anything, and it's yours!

The king was very sorry for what he had said. But he did not want to break the promise he had made in front of his guests.