Demons Driven Out by the Master

²⁸ When He had come to the other side,^(A) to the region of the Gadarenes,^[a] two demon-possessed men met Him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ Suddenly they shouted, “What do You have to do with us,^[b][c] Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”^(B)

³⁰ Now a long way off from them, a large herd of pigs was feeding. ³¹ “If You drive us out,” the demons begged Him, “send us into the herd of pigs.”

³² “Go!” He told them. So when they had come out, they entered the pigs. And suddenly the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. ³³ Then the men who tended them fled. They went into the city and reported everything—especially what had happened to those who were demon-possessed. ³⁴ At that, the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.^(C)

Demons Driven Out by the Master

5 Then^(A) they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.^{[a] 2} As soon as He got out of the boat, a man with an unclean^(B) spirit^(C) came out of the tombs^(D) and met Him. ³ He lived in the tombs.^(E) No one was able to restrain him anymore—even with chains^(F)— ⁴ because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had snapped off the chains and smashed^(G) the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue^(H) him. ⁵ And always, night^(I) and day, he was crying out among the tombs^(J) and in the mountains^(K) and cutting himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him. ⁷ And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me,^[b] Jesus, Son^(L) of the Most High God?^(M) I beg^[c] You before God, don’t torment^(N) me!” ⁸ For He had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean^(O) spirit!”^(P)

⁹ “What is your name?” He asked him.

“My name is Legion,”^[d](Q) he answered Him, “because we are many.” ¹⁰ And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region.

¹¹ Now a large herd of pigs^(R) was there, feeding^(S) on the hillside. ¹² The demons^[e] begged Him, “Send us to the pigs, so we may enter them.” ¹³ And He gave them permission. Then the unclean^(T) spirits^(U) came out and entered the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there. ¹⁴ The men who tended them^[f] ran off^(V) and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. ¹⁵ They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed^(W) by the legion,^(X) sitting there, dressed and in his right mind;^(Y) and they were afraid.^{(Z) 16} The eyewitnesses described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed^(AA) man and told about the pigs. ¹⁷ Then they began to beg Him to leave their region.

¹⁸ As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him. ¹⁹ But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord^(AB) has done^(AC) for you and how He has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ So he went out and began to proclaim^(AD) in the Decapolis^(AE) how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.^(AF)