Part 6

004:028 Of itself the land produces the crop--first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.

004:029 But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."

004:030 Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?

004:031 It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;

004:032 yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."

004:033 With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.

004:034 But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.

004:035 The same day, in the evening, He said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."

004:036 So they got away from the crowd, and took Him--as He was-- in the boat; and other boats accompanied Him.

004:037 But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.

004:038 But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"

004:039 So He roused Himself and rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" The wind sank, and a perfect calm set in.

004:040 "Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"

004:041 Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."

005:001 So they arrived at the opposite shore of the Lake, in the country of the Gerasenes.

005:002 At once, on His landing, there came from the tombs to meet Him a man possessed by a foul spirit.

005:003 This man lived among the tombs, nor could any one now secure him even with a chain;

005:004 for many a time he had been left securely bound in fetters and chains, but afterwards the chains lay torn link from link, and the fetters in fragments, and there was no one strong enough to master him.

005:005 And constantly, day and night, he remained among the tombs or on the hills, shrieking, and mangling himself with sharp stones.

005:006 And when he saw Jesus in the distance, he ran and threw himself at His feet,

005:007 crying out in a loud voice, "What hast Thou to do with me, Jesus, Son of God Most High? In God's name I implore Thee not to torment me."

005:008 For He had said to him, "Foul spirit, come out of the man."

005:009 Jesus also questioned him. "What is your name?" He said. "Legion," he replied, "for there are a host of us."

005:010 And he earnestly entreated Him not to send them away out of the country.

005:011 Feeding there, on the mountain slope, was a great herd of swine.

005:012 So they besought Jesus. "Send us to the swine," they said, "so that we may enter into them."

005:013 He gave them leave; and the foul spirits came out and entered into the swine, and the herd--about 2,000 in number-- rushed headlong down the cliff into the Lake and were drowned in the Lake.

005:014 The swineherds fled, and spread the news in town and country. So the people came to see what it was that had happened;