Daily Bible Reading 24th July 2026 // Luke 8:40-56
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, 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. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given to her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Another point in the Jairus story relates to something that was said in the account of the stilling of the storm (8:22-25). That storm was stilled, and Jesus could still it, only because another storm was to be stilled - that of divine wrath - in the death He was to die. The same can be said in this situation also: the raising of Jairus' daughter from the dead was possible only because of, and on the strength of His victory in His own resurrection from the dead. Before the decisive battle of His death on the Cross and His rising again, which sealed to Him His power and authority (cf Philippians 2:9ff; Matthew 28:18), He was already using that power, and exercising that Lordship in an anticipatory fashion, anticipating His victory, working miracles on trust, as it were, on the basis of the victory He was to accomplish on the Cross. Sometimes, on buying goods in a shop, we say, 'I'll take these on account', and pay later. This, so to speak, is what Jesus did. He went into the dark store of death and said, pointing to the dead body of Jairus' little girl, 'I'll take this one on account. Put it down to Me, I'll pay later'. All the miracles He performed were performed on this basis, on the strength of the death He was to die and the price He was to pay.