NgokukaLuka 8:1-7, 9-39

Kwathi emva kwalokho wayehamba imizi nemizana eshumayela ememezela ivangeli lombuso, benaye abayishumi nambili nabesifazane abathile ababephulukiswe kubo omoya ababi nasezifweni: uMariya obizwa ngokuthi uMagdalena, okwakuphume kuye amademoni ayisikhombisa, noJowana umkaKhuza, induna kaHerode, noSusana, nabanye abaningi ababebakhonza ngempahla yabo. Sekubuthene kuye isixuku esikhulu sivela emizini ngemizi, wakhuluma ngomfanekiso, wathi: “Kwaphuma umhlwanyeli ukuyohlwanyela imbewu yakhe. Ekuhlwanyeleni kwakhe enye yawela ngasendleleni; yanyathelwa, izinyoni zezulu zayidla, zayiqeda. Enye yawela edwaleni; kuthe imila, yabuna, ngokuba ingenamswakama. Enye yawela phakathi kwameva, kwaze kwathi ameva esemila kanye nayo, ayiminyanisa.

Abafundi bakhe bambuza ukuthi ungaba yini lowo mfanekiso na? Wathi-ke: “Niphiwe nina ukwazi izimfihlakalo zombuso kaNkulunkulu, kepha abanye bakuphiwa ngemifanekiso ukuba bebona bangaboni, bezwa bangaqondi. “Umfanekiso yilokhu-ke: imbewu iyizwi likaNkulunkulu. Abangasendleleni yilabo abathi sebezwile, bese kufika uSathane, alisuse izwi enhliziyweni yabo ukuba bangakholwa, basindiswe. Abasedwaleni yilabo abathi sebezwile, balamukele izwi ngokuthokoza; kepha laba kabanampande, bakholwa isikhashana nje, kuthi ngesikhathi sokulingwa bahlubuke. Okuwele phakathi kwameva yilabo abathi sebezwile, bahambe, baminyaniswe ngeminako nengcebo nezinjabulo zokuphila, bangatheli izithelo ezivuthiwe. Okusemhlabathini omuhle yilabo abathi belizwile izwi, balibambe ngenhliziyo enhle nelungileyo, bathele izithelo ngokubekezela. “Akakho othi esokhela isibani, asimboze ngesitsha nokuba asibeke phansi kombhede, kepha usifaka othini, ukuze abangenayo babone ukukhanya. Ngokuba akukho okusithekileyo okungayikuhlaluka nokuyisifuba okungayikwaziwa, kube sobala. Ngakho-ke anobheka ukuba nizwa kanjani; ngokuba yilowo nalowo onakho uyakuphiwa; kepha lowo ongenakho uyakwamukwa nalokho athi unakho.” Kwase kufika kuye unina nabafowabo, kepha behluleka ukufinyelela kuye ngenxa yesixuku. Wabikelwa ukuthi: “Unyoko nabafowenu bemi ngaphandle befuna ukukubona.” Kepha waphendula, wathi kubo: “Umame nabafowethu yilabo abalizwa izwi likaNkulunkulu, balenze.” Kwathi-ke ngolunye lwalezo zinsuku wangena emkhunjini, yena kanye nabafundi bakhe, wathi kubo: “Asiwele siye ngaphesheya kolwandle.” Basuka-ke. Kuthe besahamba ngomkhumbi, walala ubuthongo; kwehlela-ke isivunguvungu somoya elwandle, bagcwala amanzi, babesengozini. Base besondela, bamvusa bathi: “Nkosi, Nkosi, safa.” Wavuka-ke, wakhuza umoya nokugubha kwamanzi. Kwanqamuka, kwathula kwathi du. Wayesethi kubo: “Kuphi ukukholwa kwenu na?” Besaba; bamangala, bathi omunye komunye: “Ungubani lo ukuba ayale nomoya namanzi, kumlalele?” Bafika ngomkhumbi ezweni lamaGerasa elibhekene neGalile. Esephumele emhlabathini, kwamhlangabeza indoda ethile yomuzi eyayinamademoni; kwase kuyisikhathi eside ingembathi ngubo, ingahlali endlini kodwa emathuneni. Isimbona uJesu yadazuluka, yawa phansi phambi kwakhe, yathi ngezwi elikhulu: “Nginamsebenzi muni nawe Jesu, Ndodana kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke? Ngiyakuncenga, ungangihluphi.” Ngokuba wayala umoya ongcolileyo ukuba aphume kulowo muntu. Ngokuba wayesembambe kaningi; walindwa eboshwe ngawozankosi nangamaketanga ezinyawo; kepha wathi esegqabule izibopho, waqhutshelwa yidemoni ehlane. UJesu wambuza wathi: “Ungubani igama lakho?” Wathi: “ULegiyona,*” ngokuba amademoni amaningi ayengene kuye. Amncenga ukuba angawayali ukuya kwalasha. Kwakukhona lapho umhlambi wezingulube eziningi ziklabile entabeni; amncenga ukuba awavumele angene kuzo; wawavumela. Aphuma-ke amademoni kuye umuntu, angena ezingulubeni, umhlambi wagulukudela eweni, waphonseka elwandle, waminza. Kwathi ababezalusa bebona okwenzekileyo, babaleka, bakubika emzini nasemaphandleni. Khona baphuma ukuyobona okwenzekileyo, bafika kuJesu, bamfumanisa umuntu okuphume kuye amademoni ehlezi ngasezinyaweni zikaJesu embethe, esangulukile; bashaywa luvalo. Ababekubonile babatshela ukuthi usinde kanjani owayekhwelwe ngamademoni. Abantu bonke bakulelo zwe lamaGerasa bamcela ukuba amuke kubo, ngokuba babephethwe ngukwesaba okukhulu; yena wayesengena emkhunjini, waphindela emuva. Kepha indoda okuphume kuyo amademoni yamnxusa ukuba ibe naye; kodwa wayimukisa, ethi: “Buyela ekhaya, ulande ukuthi kungakanani uNkulunkulu akwenzele khona.” Wamuka elanda emzini wonke ngokuthi kungakanani abekwenzelwe nguye uJesu.