so He went to her, took her by the hand and raised her up [from bed]. The fever left her and she began serving them.

He begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is about to die; [please] come and place your hands on her so she may be healed and live."

She had suffered much at the hands of many doctors [i.e., through treatments and medication that only increased her discomfort] and had spent all her money [on medical bills] and yet got worse instead of better.

She had heard what Jesus was doing so came from the crowd behind Jesus and touched His robe.

For she had told herself, "If only I can touch his clothing, I will be healed."

And immediately her flow of blood stopped and she felt healed in her body from the affliction.

But the woman became afraid and trembled with fear, for she knew what had happened to her [i.e., the healing], so she came and fell down in front of Jesus and told Him the whole truth.

And immediately the little girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years old. [Upon seeing this] the people were completely amazed.

And when Herodias' daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome] came in and danced [in front of them, sensually], she pleased Herod and his party guests so much that the king said to the young woman, "Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you."

So, she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" And her mother said, " [Ask for] the head of John the Immerser."

At once she hurried in to the king and said, "I would like you to give me the head of John the Immerser on a [large] platter right away."

and brought his head on a [large] platter and gave it to the young woman. She [in turn] gave it to her mother [Herodias].

Now the woman was a Greek [i.e., a Gentile], a Syrophoenician by nationality. [Note: This was a region just north of Galilee and consisted of Syria and Phoenicia]. She begged Him to drive out the evil spirit from her daughter.

But she answered Him, "Yes Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs dropped by the children."

And she went away to her house and found her child lying on her bed with the evil spirit gone from her.

And if she herself divorces her husband and marries another [man], she commits sexual unfaithfulness [toward him]."

[Now] whose wife will she be in the resurrected state, for all seven [brothers] were married to her?"

A poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins [Note: These two coins each amounted to about ten minutes' worth of a farm laborer's pay, or about one dollar in 1994]. The total she gave was equivalent to a larger coin [i.e., worth twice as much].

For all of them threw in from their abundance, but being very poor, she threw in everything she had, even all she had to live on."

"But after those days of terrible trouble [i.e., the next major event on God's calendar will be], the sun will become dark, and [therefore] the moon will not [be able to] shed its [reflected] light,

But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me.

She has done what she could. She has applied this aromatic oil to my body in anticipation of my burial.

and seeing Peter warming himself by the fire, she looked at him and said, "You were with Jesus from Nazareth, too."

When the servant girl saw him [there], she again began saying to those nearby, "This man is one of them [i.e., a disciple of Jesus]."

Then she went and told those disciples who had been with Him what had happened. They were sorrowful and began to cry.