The Skeptics Annotated Bible (812 page)

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for
whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

(8.18) “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” Jesus was the first Republican.

19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

(8.20-21) Jesus, when told that his mother and brothers want to see him, ignores and insults them by saying that his mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.

20 And it was told him by certain which said,
Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

(8.20)
“Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.”

21 And
he answered
and said unto them,
My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

(8.21)
“He answered … My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

(8.23-24) Jesus stops a storm by rebuking the wind and waves.

23 But
as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water
, and were in jeopardy.

(8.23)
“As they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water.”

24 And
they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he
arose, and
rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

(8.24)
“They came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he … rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.”

25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

(8.27-37) Jesus heals a naked man possessed by many devils by sending the devils into a herd of pigs, causing them to run off a cliff and drown in the sea. This messy, cruel, and expensive (for the owners of the pigs) treatment did not favorably impress the local residents, and Jesus was asked to leave.
348 How many men were possessed with devils?

27 And when he went forth to land,
there met him 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.

(8.27)
“There met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes.”

28
When he saw Jesus, 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.

(8.28)
“When he saw Jesus, he cried out … 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.”