Jesus went back to the other side of the lake in the boat. There, a large crowd of people gathered around him on the shore. A leader of the synagogue came. His name was Jairus. He saw Jesus and bowed down before him. He begged Jesus again and again, saying, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and lay your hands on her. Then she will be healed and will live.”

So Jesus went with Jairus. Many people followed Jesus. They were pushing very close around him.

There among the people was a woman who had been bleeding for the past twelve years. She had suffered very much. Many doctors had tried to help her, and all the money she had was spent, but she was not improving. In fact, her sickness was getting worse.

The woman heard about Jesus, so she followed him with the other people and touched his coat. She thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, that will be enough to heal me.” As soon as she touched his coat, her bleeding stopped. She felt that her body was healed from all the suffering. Jesus immediately felt power go out from him, so he stopped and turned around. “Who touched my clothes?” he asked.

The followers said to Jesus, “There are so many people pushing against you. But you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

But Jesus continued looking for the one who touched him. The woman knew that she was healed, so she came and bowed at Jesus’ feet. She was shaking with fear. She told Jesus the whole story. He said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace. You will not suffer anymore.”

While Jesus was still there speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the Teacher.”

But Jesus did not care what the men said. He said to the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. They went to the synagogue leader’s house, where Jesus saw many people crying loudly. There was a lot of confusion. He entered the house and said, “Why are you people crying and making so much noise? This child is not dead. She is only sleeping.” But everyone laughed at him.

Jesus told the people to leave the house. Then he went into the room where the child was. He brought the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room with him. Then Jesus held the girl’s hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means “Little girl, I tell you to stand up!”) The girl immediately stood up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) The father and mother and the followers were amazed. Jesus gave the father and mother very strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl some food to eat.

Discussion Questions:

1. 1. Who was Jairus?

   2. What did Jairus ask Jesus to do?

   3. What does his request say about him and his problem?

   4. Why did it take Jesus and Jairus so long to get to Jairus’ home?

   5. How was the sick woman in the crowd similar and different from Jairus?

   6. What did a servant tell Jairus? How do you think Jairus felt after getting the message from the servant? What did Jesus say to him?

   7. What was the scene when Jesus arrived at Jairus’ home?

   8. Why do you think Jesus brought only a few of his followers and put everyone out of the house?

   9. What did Jesus say to the girl?

   10. What did Jesus request the family to do when he presented her alive? Why do you think He made these requests?

   11. Why wasn’t Jesus concerned that the girl had died?

   12. What did you learn about Jesus from this story?