Parables

There met Jesus out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Him, he cried out, and fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech Thee, torment me not.” (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.) And Jesus asked him, saying, “What is thy name?” And he said, “Legion”: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought Him that He would suffer them to enter into them. And He suffered them not, saying, “Wherefore should I violate much property of another’s, for the sake of only one man?” And he strictly charged the man, that he should resist the entry of devils; and sent him away. And he did return unto the tombs. Then the whole multitude of the country round about besought Him to remain with them: for that He protected their property from unlawful seizure.

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Then came His mother and His brethren, and could not come at Him for the press. And it was told Him by certain which said, “Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to see Thee.” And He answered and said unto them, “Dismiss therefore this press, that My mother and My brethren may approach; for there is not good on earth greater than family.”

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And one of the Pharisees desired Him that He would eat with him. And He went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden Him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus, knowing in His heart that the Pharisee was thus scandalized, turned unto the woman and said, “Daughter, go in peace: only repent thou of thy sins. For why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? But as it is, thou drawest notice, and makest thyself and Me to be a laughingstock for impropriety; and men shall suppose Me a companion of publicans and sinners. Go therefore, and by prudent silence and uprightness of living repair such scandal as thou hast given.” And the woman departed without disturbing anyone, and all were edified.