Mark 5: Jesus Heals a Demoniac, a Woman, and Jairus's Daughter

Short answer: Mark 5 recounts Jesus delivering a man from a legion of demons, healing a woman who had suffered for twelve years, and raising the daughter of Jairus from death. Each account highlights Jesus's authority over the spiritual, physical, and mortal realms.

What Mark 5 says

The chapter opens with Jesus crossing the sea to the country of the Gadarenes. Immediately, a man with an unclean spirit comes from the tombs to meet him. This man is described as living among the tombs, uncontrollable, bound repeatedly but breaking chains, crying out night and day, and cutting himself with stones. When he sees Jesus from afar, he runs and bows down, crying out loudly, asking what Jesus has to do with him, calling him Son of the Most High God, and begging not to be tormented. Jesus commands the unclean spirit to come out and asks its name. The reply is Legion, for they are many. The demons beg not to be sent out of the country and request to enter a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus permits it, and the pigs rush into the sea and drown. The herdsmen flee and report this in the city and country. People come and see the formerly possessed man sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, and they are afraid. Those who saw it tell what happened, and the people beg Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus gets into the boat, the healed man begs to go with him, but Jesus refuses, telling him to go home to his friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for him and how he had mercy on him. The man goes and proclaims in Decapolis what Jesus did, and everyone marvels.

When Jesus crosses back to the other side, a great crowd gathers. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, falls at his feet and begs him earnestly, saying his little daughter is at the point of death and asking Jesus to come lay hands on her so she may be made healthy and live. Jesus goes with him, and a large crowd follows, pressing on him. Among them is a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years. She had suffered much from many physicians, spent all she had, and grew worse. Having heard about Jesus, she comes up behind him in the crowd and touches his clothes, for she says that if she just touches his clothes, she will be made well. Immediately her flow of blood dries up, and she feels in her body that she is healed. Jesus perceives that power has gone out from him and turns around, asking who touched his clothes. His disciples point out that the crowd is pressing against him, yet he asks who touched him. He looks around to see who did it. The woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what was done to her, comes and falls down before him and tells him all the truth. He says to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be cured of your disease.

While Jesus is still speaking, people come from the synagogue ruler's house saying that his daughter is dead and asking why he should bother the Teacher any more. But Jesus, hearing this, immediately tells the ruler not to be afraid, only believe. He allows no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John. They come to the synagogue ruler's house, where he sees an uproar, weeping, and great wailing. When he enters, he asks why they make an uproar and weep, saying the child is not dead but asleep. They ridicule him. He puts them all out, takes the father, mother, and those with him, and goes in where the child is lying. Taking her by the hand, he says, Talitha cumi, which means, Girl, I tell you, get up. Immediately the girl rises and walks, for she was twelve years old. They are amazed with great amazement. He strictly orders them that no one should know this, and commands that something be given to her to eat.

The chapter closes with the command to silence and the instruction to feed the girl. This final detail underscores the reality of her restoration: she is not a ghost or a vision but a living child who needs nourishment. The order to keep silent contrasts with the man from the tombs, who was told to proclaim what the Lord had done. The chapter thus presents a series of encounters where Jesus exercises authority over demons, disease, and death, and where responses vary from fear and rejection to faith and proclamation. The healing of the woman and the raising of Jairus's daughter are interwoven, showing that Jesus attends to individuals even amid pressing crowds. The chapter does not explain all mysteries but records the events and their immediate effects, leaving the reader to ponder who this Jesus is.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “He asked him, “What is your name?” (Mark 5:9) He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” (Mark 5:9)” (Mark 5:9) — The naming of the demon as Legion reveals the severity of the oppression and sets the stage for the dramatic deliverance that follows. It also shows that Jesus engages the spiritual realm with authority.
• “He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19)” (Mark 5:19) — Jesus refuses the healed man's request to follow him and instead sends him home to tell what the Lord has done. This commission shows that testimony is not limited to a select few but is the responsibility of all who have received mercy.
• “He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.” (Mark 5:34)” (Mark 5:34) — Jesus calls the woman Daughter and attributes her healing to her faith, then sends her in peace. This personal address highlights the relational aspect of healing and the importance of faith.
• “Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” (Mark 5:41) which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!” (Mark 5:41)” (Mark 5:41) — Jesus takes the child by the hand and speaks the Aramaic words Talitha cumi, commanding her to rise. This direct, tender command demonstrates his authority over death and his care for the young.

Gospel connection

Mark 5 foreshadows the ultimate victory of Jesus over sin, Satan, and death. The deliverance of the demoniac shows that Jesus has power to free those bound by evil, a theme that runs through the Bible from the Exodus to the cross. The healing of the woman with the issue of blood illustrates that faith in Jesus brings cleansing and restoration, pointing to the cleansing from sin available through his sacrifice. The raising of Jairus's daughter anticipates the resurrection, where Jesus will ultimately conquer death. These acts are not isolated miracles but signs of the kingdom of God breaking into a fallen world, revealing Jesus as the promised Messiah who brings salvation.

Application

This chapter asks readers to trust Jesus in their most desperate situations. Like Jairus, we may face circumstances that seem hopeless, but Jesus says, Do not be afraid, only believe. Like the woman, we may have exhausted all human options, but reaching out to Jesus in faith brings healing. Like the demoniac, we may feel bound by forces beyond our control, but Jesus has authority to set us free. The healed man's testimony challenges us to share what God has done for us, not to keep it private. The chapter also warns against rejecting Jesus out of fear or economic loss, as the Gadarenes did. Ultimately, it calls for a response of faith and proclamation.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not tell us the eternal destiny of the demons, nor does it explain why Jesus permitted them to enter the pigs. It does not say that the woman's faith was perfect or that she understood who Jesus was. It does not claim that Jairus's daughter was merely in a coma; Jesus explicitly said she was not dead but asleep, yet the text presents her as actually dead and raised. The text is silent on the aftermath for the pigs' owners and on the long-term impact on the Gadarenes. It does not record the name of the woman or the daughter, nor does it describe the reaction of the synagogue ruler after the raising. These silences remind us to stick to what is written and not speculate beyond it.

Questions for study

1. What does the reaction of the Gadarenes to the healing of the demoniac reveal about their priorities?
2. Why do you think Jesus told the healed man to go home and tell his friends, while he told others to keep quiet?
3. How does the woman's approach to Jesus differ from Jairus's, and what can we learn from both?
4. What does Jesus mean when he says the child is not dead but asleep, and how does that shape our understanding of death?
5. In what areas of your life do you need to hear Jesus say, Do not be afraid, only believe?

Keep reading

Related studies: Mark 1 Bible Study, Mark 10 Bible Study, Mark 11 Bible Study, Mark 12 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the pigs?

The text does not explain Jesus's reasoning, but it shows that the demons could not act without his permission. The result was the deliverance of the man, though it led the townspeople to ask Jesus to leave.

What does the name Legion imply about the man's condition?

Legion was a Roman military term for a large unit of soldiers, suggesting that the man was oppressed by many demons. This highlights the severity of his bondage and the greatness of Jesus's deliverance.

Why did Jesus tell the woman that her faith had made her well?

Jesus wanted to publicly affirm her faith and restore her socially, as her condition would have made her ceremonially unclean. It also shows that healing comes through trust in him, not through magic or mere touch.