Matthew 8

1 When Jesus came down [from a high place, descended] from the mountain [a high elevation, a place of spiritual encounter], large [great, multitude of] crowds [groups of people, gatherings] followed [accompanied, walked behind] Him [as their leader, their Master]. word study 2 Suddenly [and behold, a surprising event occurred] a leper [leprous, afflicted with a serious skin disease] came [approached, drew near] and knelt [worshipped, bowed down] before Him, saying, “Lord [Master, God, the One in authority], if You are willing [if You desire, if it is Your pleasure], You can [You are able, You have the power] make me clean [purify me, cleanse me from leprosy].” word study 3 Jesus reached out [stretched forth] His hand [as a symbol of power and instrument of healing] and touched [made physical contact with, showing intimacy and care] the man. “I am willing [I desire, it is My pleasure],” He said. “Be clean [be made pure, cleansed from leprosy]!” And immediately [at once, without delay] his leprosy [a skin disease, a condition of uncleanness] was cleansed [purified, made clean]. word study 4 Then Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Anointed] instructed him, “See that you don’t tell [reveal or disclose to] anyone [no one, nothing]. But go [depart, proceed], show [exhibit, present] yourself to the priest [a spiritual leader, mediator] and offer [present, sacrifice] the gift [a sacrificial offering, a token of gratitude] prescribed [ordered, commanded] by Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver], as a testimony [evidence, proof] to them [the people, the community].” word study 5 When Jesus had entered [come into, gone into] Capernaum [a town in Palestine], a centurion [Roman military officer, commander of 100 soldiers] came and pleaded [beseeching, begging for help] with Him [the Messiah, the Savior], word study 6 “Lord [Master, One in authority], my servant [young man, child] lies at home [in the house, at my residence], paralyzed [sick of the palsy, unable to move] and in terrible [excessive, grievous] agony [tormented, suffering greatly].” word study 7 “I [the speaker himself] will go [come] and heal [to serve or cure] him,” Jesus [God is salvation] replied [to say or speak]. word study 8 The centurion [Roman military officer] answered, “Lord [Master, God, having authority over all], I am not worthy [unfit, lacking sufficient merit] to have You come under my roof [into my home, under my care]. But just say the word [give the command, speak with divine authority], and my servant [child, attendant, one who serves me] will be healed [restored to health, made whole]. word study 9 For I myself [as a human being] am a man under [subject to] authority [having the power to act], with soldiers [common warriors] under me. I tell one to go [to travel], and he goes; and another [a different one] to come [to come or go], and he comes. I tell my servant [a slave or bondservant] to do something, and he does it [to make or do something].” word study 10 When Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] heard this, He marveled [was astonished, felt great wonder] and said to those following [accompanying, walking with] Him, “Truly [verily, amen] I tell you, I have not found [discovered, met with] anyone in Israel [the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants] with such great [extraordinary] faith [trust and confidence in God] [no, not even]. word study 11 I say [declare, proclaim] to you that many [a large multitude, numerous] will come [arrive, gather] from the east [the rising of the sun, the direction of new beginnings] and the west [the direction of sunset, the western regions] to share [partake, participate in] the banquet [a feast, a celebratory meal] with Abraham [the father of the faithful, a Hebrew patriarch], Isaac, and Jacob [the progenitor of the Israelites] in the kingdom [the reign, the dominion] of heaven [the spiritual realm, the dwelling place of God]. word study 12 But the sons [children, heirs] of the kingdom [God’s royal power and dominion] will be thrown [expelled, cast out] into the outer [utter, exterior] darkness [absence of spiritual light], where there will be weeping [intense crying, lamentation] and gnashing [grinding, violent biting] of teeth [in anger, pain, or frustration].” word study 13 Then Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said to the centurion [a Roman military officer in charge of 100 men], “Go [depart, go your way]! As you have believed [trusted, had faith], so will it be done [come into being, happen] for you [to you, in your life].” And his servant [child, minister] was healed [cured, made whole] at that very hour [specific time, moment]. word study 14 When Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] arrived at Peter’s [the name given to Simon by Jesus, meaning a rock or stone] house, He saw Peter’s [the apostle, a rock or stone] mother-in-law [the mother of Peter’s wife, his wife’s mother] sick [very ill, fevered] in bed with a fever [a high temperature, be feverish]. word study 15 So He touched [with His healing power] her hand, and the fever [a high temperature, a medical condition] left her, and she got up [arose, was raised] and began to serve [minister, attend to their needs] them. word study 16 When [in the late afternoon, at sunset] evening [nightfall] came, many [a large number of people] who were [under the power of, controlled by] demon-possessed [influenced by evil spirits] were brought to Jesus, and He drove out [expelled, cast out] the spirits [evil forces] with a word [a command or message] and healed [restored to health] all [every single one] the sick [those who were ill or diseased]. word study 17 This was to fulfill [make complete, satisfy] what was spoken [uttered, proclaimed] through [by means of, because of] the prophet [one who speaks for God] Isaiah: “He took on [received, accepted] our infirmities [weaknesses, frailties] and carried [bore, lifted] our diseases [sicknesses, illnesses].” word study 18 When Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] saw [perceived, became aware of] a large [great, multitude of] crowd [group of people, assembly] around [about, surrounding] Him, He gave [issued, commanded] orders [instructions, directions] to cross [depart, go away] to the other side [opposite shore, farther bank] of the sea [body of water, lake]. word study 19 And [then, at that time] one [a certain, specific] of the scribes [scholars of the law] came [approached, drew near] to Him and said, “Teacher [instructor, rabbi], I will follow [accompany, walk with] You [as a disciple] wherever [to any place, in every circumstance] You go [travel, journey].” word study 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes [wild canines, sly animals] have dens [holes, burrows] and birds [flying creatures, heavenly messengers] of the air [heaven, the sky] have nests [dwelling places, resting spots], but the Son [Child, descendant] of Man [humanity, a human being] has no place [nowhere, no dwelling] to lay [rest, bow down] His head [the upper part of the body, the source of life].” word study 21 Another [different, one of the others] of His disciples [learners, followers] requested [said, asked], “Lord [Master, God, one in authority] [a title of respect], first [before anything else, initially] let me [allow me, permit me] go [depart, leave] and bury [perform funeral rites, inter] my father [male parent, ancestor].” word study 22 But Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] told him, “Follow [to accompany, to walk with] Me, and let the dead [those who are spiritually lifeless] bury [to perform funeral rites, to inter] their own [belonging to them, their relatives] dead [those who have physically died].” word study 23 When He [and then, at that time] got into [stepped into, embarked upon] the boat [ship, vessel], His disciples [followers, learners] followed [accompanied, walked with] Him [as their Master, Lord]. word study 24 Suddenly [without warning, a great tempest arose] a violent [fierce, intense] storm [a shaking of the earth, but here a great disturbance of the sea] came up on the sea [the large body of water, the Mediterranean], so that [as a result, with the consequence that] the boat [a vessel for traveling on water] was engulfed [covered, to be hidden or overwhelmed] by the waves [powerful movements of the sea]; but Jesus [the Messiah, the Christ] was sleeping [in a state of rest, unaware of the turmoil]. word study 25 The disciples [followers, learners] went and woke Him, saying, “Lord [Master, God], save [rescue, deliver] us [we, ourselves]! We are perishing [dying, being destroyed]!” word study 26 “You [having a weak trust] of little faith [oligo pistos, lacking confidence in God],” Jesus replied, “why are you so [excessively, unreasonably] afraid [fearful, timid]?” Then He got up [arose, stood up] and rebuked [warned, commanded] the winds [air currents] and the sea [large body of water], and it was [became] perfectly [greatly] calm [peaceful, tranquil]. word study 27 The men [marveled, were full of wonder] were amazed and asked, “What kind [manner, sort] of man [human being, person] is this [He, the extraordinary One]? Even the winds [the four directions of the earth] and the sea [large bodies of water, the chaotic forces] obey [listen attentively, are under His control] Him [the One in authority]!” word study 28 When Jesus arrived [came to be present, was met] on the other side [across the lake, to the opposite shore] in the region [country, territory] of the Gadarenes [Gergesenes, people of the area], He was met [encountered, came face to face] by two [a pair] demon-possessed [under the power of evil spirits, controlled by demons] men [individuals, persons] coming [proceeding, emerging] from the tombs [graves, places of burial]. They were so [exceedingly, very] violent [fierce, harsh] that no one [not a single person, no man] could pass [travel, go by] that way [on that road, through that area]. word study 29 “What do You want with us [to do with, have to do with], Son of God [having God’s nature, divine Son]?” they shouted. “Have You come here [to this place, at this time] to torture [torment, afflict] us before [prior to, ahead of] the appointed time [the designated hour, the right moment]?” word study 30 In the distance [far away, a good way off] a large [great, of many] herd [group of animals] of pigs [swine, unclean animals] was feeding [pasturing, digging for food with their noses]. word study 31 So the demons [evil spirits, unclean spirits] begged Jesus, “If You drive us out [expel, cast us forth], send us into the herd [a group] of pigs [unclean animals, swine].” word study 32 “Go [away, depart]!” He told them [to leave, to go out]. So they came out [from the men, were expelled] and went into the pigs [the herd of swine, unclean animals], and the whole herd [all the pigs, every one] rushed down the steep bank [a cliff, a sharp slope] into the sea [the large body of water, the deep] and died [perished, stopped living] in the waters [the sea, the liquid mass]. word study 33 Those tending [feeding, caring for] the pigs [swine, unclean animals] ran off [fled in fear, departed quickly] into the town [city, community] and reported [announced, declared] all this [everything that happened], including the account [story, narrative] of the demon-possessed [under the power of evil spirits, controlled by demons] men [individuals, people]. word study 34 Then the whole [entire, all] town [city, community] went out [came forth, exited] to meet Jesus [the Savior, God’s salvation]. And when they saw [perceived, beheld] Him, they begged [pleaded, besought] Him to leave [depart, go away from] their region [borders, territory, coasts]. word study