1. Sometime later, Jesus called His disciples together and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal all diseases.
2. And these were His twelve disciples: Peter, Andrew, James, Mary, and John; Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas.
3. And also there were other women following who had been cured of evil spirits, Joanna and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to the support of the group from their private means.
4. So He sent them out in pairs to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healings.
5. He said to them, "Freely you have received; now freely give.
6. "For the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore beseech the lord of the harvest to send out the laborers into his fields.
7. "Take nothing for your journey. Do not take a staff or bag, or food or money, and do not even have a change of clothes. For the worker is worthy of support.
8. "Whatever house you enter, determine first that it is worthy, and then stay there until you leave that city.
9. "If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace, but if it is not, take away your blessing of peace.
10. "And as for those who do not receive you, as you go from that town, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.
11. "Know that the one who listens to you, listens to Me, and the one who rejects you, rejects Me; and those who reject Me reject the Father who sent Me.
12. "Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, and proclaim that the kingdom of God has come to them.
13. "And know that those who do not receive your testimony will receive the judgment of the damned.
14. "As you go, beware; for they will hand you over to be tried and persecuted. And they will condemn you in their synagogues on account of Me.
15. "You will even be brought before kings and governors for My sake, as a testimony to them.
16. "But when they hand you over, do not worry what you will say or how you will say it. For it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say.
17. "For it is not you who speaks, but it is the Father who speaks through you."
18. And as the disciples left, they began going through the villages preaching the Gospel and healing the afflicted.
19. When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all they had done. And they reported with joy, "Lord, even the demons are subject to Your name."
20. And Jesus said, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. For behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
21. "Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
22. At that time, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the learned and have revealed them to the infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well pleasing in Your sight.
23. Then He said to the twelve, "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except for the Son--and anyone to whom the Son reveals Him."
24. Then they came to the other side of the sea to the countryside.
25. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit who lived among the tombs came to Him.
26. The man had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he broke them all, and no one was able to bind him any longer, because they were not strong enough.
27. Constantly, night and day, he screamed among the tombs and cut himself with stones and other sharp objects. And no one could pass by that way on account of him.
28. But seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed before Him, and shouting with a loud voice he said, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, in the name of God, do not torment me!"
29. But Jesus said to the demon within the man, "Come out of him!" and then asked it, "What is your name?"
30. And the demon said, "My name is Legion, for we are many." And the demon begged Jesus not to send them out of the country and into the abyss.
31. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain, and the demon implored Jesus saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them."
32. Jesus gave permission, and coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine, but the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand in all, and they all drowned themselves in the sea.
33. The herdsman of the swine ran away and reported it in the village, and the people came to see what it was that had happened.
34. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been possessed. The man was sitting down, clothed and in his right mind--the very man who had the legion of demons--and they all became frightened.
35. Those who had witnessed the sign Jesus performed told all about the demon-possessed man and the swine. So the people of the area began to implore Jesus to leave the area.
36. So, as He was getting back into the boat with His disciples, the man who had been possessed begged Jesus to take him with them.
37. But Jesus did not let him, and said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you and how He had mercy on you."
38. And the man went away and began to proclaim to the people what great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed.
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