th a few words. _What kind of man is this?_ they thought.
_What kind of power does he have?_
[Illustration]
They were so worried about what Jesus might do next that they asked
him to leave the country. Without a word Jesus took his disciples back
to the boat. The man who had been out of his mind followed him, and
asked if he might go along. But Jesus told him:
"No, you have work to do here. Go back home to your friends. Tell them
what the Lord has done for you."
The man went back to the city, and began to tell his story. The story
went abroad through that whole country, and everyone who heard it was
amazed.
* * * * *
For the disciples it had been a night and day of wonders. But as they
sailed home across the lake they did not know that an even greater
triumph was waiting for Jesus on the other side.
As their boat drew near to land, they saw a crowd standing on the
shore. Everyone had been watching anxiously, waiting for Jesus to
come.
When Jesus stepped ashore, the waiting crowd made way for a man who
was well known in the town. His name was Jairus, and he was the chief
officer of the synagogue.
Jairus fell down at Jesus' feet and began to plead with him to come to
his house at once:
"My little girl is dying. Please come and put your hands on her, and
heal her, and make her live!"
[Illustration]
Jesus went with Jairus, and the whole crowd followed to see what he
was going to do. As they walked along the street, with people
pressing in on them from every side, Jesus suddenly stopped and said,
"Who touched my clothes?"
The disciples could not imagine what he was talking about. They said
to him:
"Why, don't you see the crowd? Everybody is touching you! What do you
mean by asking, 'Who touched my clothes?'"
But Jesus answered:
"There's someone in particular who touched me. I felt power going out
of me."
With that, a poor woman came out of the crowd and fell down in front
of Jesus. She was trembling with fear. She told him her whole story.
For twelve years she had been sick. She had spent all her money on
doctors, and she never got any better. She thought that if only she
could touch his clothes, without anyone seeing her, she would be made
well.
Jesus looked at her kindly, and said:
"Your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
Meanwhile Jairus was waiting impatiently for Jesus to come along. Soon
it might be too late!
At that very moment a
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