Luke 8:40–56: Two Lives. One Savior.

July 31, 2026

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY
Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

At last, the day arrived. The baby was born—a little girl, the only daughter of her elated parents. During the next twelve years, the family celebrated her first words, first steps, and countless other joyful moments.

Around the same time, in the same area, a woman woke to find that something was terribly wrong. The bleeding would not stop, and no remedy brought relief. She spent all her money on doctors, but nothing helped. She had even tried the treatments prescribed by the rabbis, yet the bleeding continued for twelve years. Declared "unclean" and barred from the synagogue, no one was allowed to have contact with her. Destitute and living with shame and physical pain, she became an outcast. 

Twelve years of life had taken the girl's parents and the woman down separate paths–until their lives intersected one day. Let's look at their stories. 

When Jesus healed the man possessed by demons in the Gentile region of the Gerasenes, the people living there asked him to leave. But when he returned to Capernaum,^[1] Jewish crowds were waiting and welcomed him. Remember, we are still in the first year of Jesus' ministry–the year of popularity. 

In the crowd that day, a synagogue ruler^[2] named Jairus fell at Jesus' feet and "implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying" (Luke 8:41–42). Earlier, a centurion who had built the synagogue at Capernaum for the Jews sent Jewish leaders to ask Jesus to heal his servant. Jairus may have been among those leaders, which would make this his second request for a miracle from the miracle-worker. 

On the way to Jairus' home, the crowd pressed in around Jesus. Among them was the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years and longed desperately to reach him. Unclean, weak, destitute, and alone, Jesus was her only hope. She "came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment"—the tassel on the bottom of his robe. On her hands and knees at Jesus' feet, she touched him, and "immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, 'Who was it that touched me?'" (Luke 8:44–45). 

Peter thought Jesus was joking. In effect, his response to Jesus' question was, Everyone is touching you! There are people all around you! But this touch was different. Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46). 

When the woman realized that Jesus knew what she had done, "she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace'" (Luke 8:47–48). She had reached out to Jesus, trusting him to make her whole. 

You have to wonder what Jairus was feeling. His daughter was dying, and there was no time to spare. I don't know how long Jesus paused to speak with the woman, but it must have felt far too long to Jairus. His impatience turned to heartbreaking despair when someone from his house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more" (Luke 8:49). But Jesus did not hesitate. He reassured Jairus, "Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well" (Luke 8:50).

When they arrived at Jairus' home, the mourners were already there. Jesus told them, "Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping." His words turned their weeping and mourning into mocking laughter (Luke 8:53) as they thought his statement was absurd. 

Jesus entered the house with the parents and three of the apostles—James, John, and Peter. Here is Luke's account of what happened next:

Luke 8:54–56
But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise."  And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. 

A child lived for twelve years before suffering, and a woman endured suffering for twelve years. One was restored to life; the other, to renewed life. One daughter was raised from the dead, and the other was raised from sickness and uncleanness. I wonder whether they ever met. Perhaps they did—but that is not what matters most. What matters most is that both met Jesus, the only One who can renew and restore.

Read and reflect on Luke 8:40–56. What burden, shame, or struggle have you been carrying that you need to bring to Jesus?

Talking to God: Ask God for the humility to come to him in faith. 

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