Mark 5:13

Christian Standard Bible ®

So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.

Parallel Translations

King James Version (1611)
And forthwith Iesus gaue them leaue. And the vncleane spirits went out, and entred into the swine, and the herd ranne violently downe a steepe place into the sea (they were about two thousand) and were choked in the sea.

King James Version
And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

English Standard Version
So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

New Century Version
So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs—about two thousand of them—rushed down the hill into the lake and were drowned.

Amplified Bible
Jesus gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out [of the man] and entered the pigs. The herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea; and they were drowned [one after the other] in the sea.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

Berean Standard Bible
He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus let them go, and they went out of the man and into the pigs. The whole herd of about two thousand pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua gave them permission. They came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering around two thousand, rushed down the hillside into the lake and were drowned.

Darby Translation
And Jesus [immediately] allowed them. And the unclean spirits going out entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep slope, into the sea (about two thousand), and were choked in the sea.

Easy-to-Read Version
So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs ran down the hill and into the lake. They were all drowned. There were about 2000 pigs in that herd.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And incontinently Iesus gaue them leaue. Then the vncleane spirites went out, and entred into the swine, and the heard ranne headlong from the high banke into the sea, (and there were about two thousand swine) and they were choked vp in the sea.

George Lamsa Translation
And he permitted them. And the lunatics went out, and attacked the swine; and the herd ran to the steep rocks, and fell into the sea; they were about two thousand, and they were drowned in the water.

Good News Translation
He let them go, and the evil spirits went out of the man and entered the pigs. The whole herd—about two thousand pigs in all—rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

Lexham English Bible
And he permitted them. And the unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs, and the herd—about two thousand—rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea.

Literal Translation
And Jesus immediately allowed them. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered into the pigs. And the herd rushed down the precipice into the sea (and they were about two thousand), and they were choked in the sea.

American Standard Version
And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in number about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea.

Bible in Basic English
And he let them do it. And the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs; and the herd went rushing down a sharp slope into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they came to their death in the sea.

Hebrew Names Version
At once Yeshua gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.

International Standard Version
So he let them do this. The unclean spirits came out of the manof the man">[fn] and went into the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down the cliff into the sea and drowned there.drowned in the sea">[fn]

Etheridge Translation
And he suffered them. And those unclean spirits went forth and entered into the swine; and that herd ran to the rock, and plunged into the sea, as two thousand, and were drowned in the waters.

Murdock Translation
And he permitted them. And those unclean spirits went out, and entered the swine: and the herd, of about two thousand, ran to a precipice, and fell into the sea, and were strangled in the waters.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And anone Iesus gaue them leaue. And the vncleane spirites went out, and entred into the swyne: And the hearde ran headlong into the sea, (they were about two thousande,) & were drowned in the sea.

English Revised Version
And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in number about two thousand; and they were choked in the sea.

World English Bible
At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And Jesus forthwith gave them leave. And the unclean spirits going out, entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, (they were about two thousand) and were choked in the sea.

Weymouth's New Testament
He gave them leave; and the foul spirits came out and entered into the swine, and the herd--about 2,000 in number--rushed headlong down the cliff into the Lake and were drowned in the Lake.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And anoon Jhesus grauntide to hem. And the vnclene spiritis yeden out, and entriden in to the swyn, and with a greet birre the flocke was cast doun in to the see, a twei thousynde, and thei weren dreynt in the see.

Update Bible Version
And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, [in number] about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea.

Webster's Bible Translation
And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea (they were about two thousand) and were choked in the sea.

New English Translation
Jesus gave them permission. So the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake, and about two thousand were drowned in the lake.

New King James Version
And at once Jesus [fn] gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

New Living Translation
So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

New Life Bible
Then Jesus let them do what they wanted to do. So they went into the pigs. The pigs ran fast down the side of the mountain and into the sea and died. There were about 2,000.

New Revised Standard
So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and he suffered them. And the impure spirits, going out, entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the cliff into the sea, about two thousand, and were choked in the sea.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jesus immediately gave them leave. And the unclean spirits going out, entered into the swine: and the herd with great violence was carried headlong into the sea, being about two thousand, were stifled in the sea.

Revised Standard Version
So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And anone Iesus gave them leave. And the vnclene spretes wet out and entred into ye swyne. And the heerd starteled and ran hedling into the see. They were about .ii.M. swyne and they were drouned in the see.

Young's Literal Translation
and immediately Jesus gave them leave, and having come forth, the unclean spirits did enter into the swine, and the herd did rush down the steep place to the sea -- and they were about two thousand -- and they were choked in the sea.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And anone Iesus gaue them leue. Then the foule spretes wente out, and intred in to the swyne. And the heerd of swyne, ranne heedlinges in to ye see with a storme. They were aboute a two thousande swyne, and were drowned in the see.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus immediately gave them leave. and the impure spirits quitting the possessed, entred into the swine, and the whole herd, which were about two thousand, ran down a precipice into the sea, and were there stifled.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus told them to go ahead. The evil spirits rushed out and filled the pigs. Then the herd of two thousand pigs stampeded into the lake and drown.

Contextual Overview

¹They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. ²As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him. ³He lived in the tombs, and no one was able to restrain him anymore—not even with a chain— ⁴because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. ⁶When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. ⁷And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, don’t torment me!” ⁸For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean ⁹“What is your name?” ¹⁰And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

gave: 1 Kings 22:22, Job 1:12, Job 2:6, Matthew 8:32, 1 Peter 3:22, Revelation 13:5-7, Revelation 20:7

the herd: John 8:44, Revelation 9:11

Reciprocal: Mark 5:10 - General Luke 1:49 - hath Acts 10:38 - healing

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And forthwith Jesus gave them leave,.... For the reason of this :-.

and the unclean spirits went out; of the man, in whom they had for some time dwelt:

and entered into the herd of swine; according to the leave given them by Christ: this shows not only the existence of spirits, but their going from one to another shows that they are circumscribed by space; that they are here, and not there, or there, and not here: there is an "ubi", a somewhere, where they are; and whilst there, are not elsewhere:

and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea. The Syriac and Arabic versions read, "the herd ran to the rock", or "promontory", and "fell into the sea". The Ethiopic, the "herd grew mad, and was carried headlong into the sea": the sense is, that the devils having entered into them, it had a like effect on them, as on the man possessed; they ran mad, and were hurried on by the devils, to the rocks on the sea shore; where, falling down the precipice, they were all lost; and a considerable loss it was to their owners; for

they were about two thousand; a very large herd, but there were devils enought in that one man, to possess all these, and run them into the sea:

and were choked in the sea; not suffocated by the devils, but drowned in the waters of the sea, or lake, as Luke calls it; the lake of Gennesareth, or sea of Tiberias and Galilee; which, as often observed, were the same. Though some think it was not this lake or sea, but some other place of water near Gadara. Strabo says e, that in the country of Gadara, there was a very bad laky water, of which if cattle tasted, they cast their hair, hoofs, and horns; which perhaps may be the same with what the Talmudists call f,

בלועה דגדר, "the whirlpool of Gadara"; said to be from the time of the deluge, and so called from its swallowing up every thing that came into it; but the sea of Tiberias seems rather to be the place, where this herd perished. The Jew g objects to the destroying this herd of swine as an unjust action, being a great injury to the owners; and seeks to blacken the character of Christ, as being concerned in it: but, as Bishop Kidder h well observes, it does not appear that Jesus destroyed it; it was the devils that did it: he suffered them indeed to go into it, nor did he restrain the natural power which they had; nor did he think fit to do it, nor was he obliged to it: but had he destroyed it himself, since he is Lord of all, the proprietor of all creatures, who has all under him, and at his disposal, can give and take away as he pleases, no charge of evil and injustice can be brought against him: and this should be satisfactory to a Christian, who believes him to be God over all blessed for ever; though it will not be to a Jew: let it therefore be further observed, that the owners of these swine were either Jews or Gentiles; if they were Jews, and they brought up these swine in order to eat them themselves, to destroy them was a just punishment, for their violation of the law of God, Deuteronomy 14:8. And if they brought them up to sell to others, this was contrary to their own canons;

Deuteronomy 14:8- :, to the rules and customs of their own country, which were made as a fence to keep off from breaking the above law; and such a practice could only proceed from an avaricious disposition, of which this was a proper rebuke: or if they were Gentiles that were the owners of them, these were idolatrous persons, worshippers of devils; and it was but a righteous thing, to suffer the devils, whom they worshipped, to do this mischief to their property, to whom they devoted themselves soul and body; and a Jew cannot well find fault with this, who believes that idolaters cannot be punished too severely: add to this, what the above learned prelate observes; this practice of the Gentiles in breeding hogs, was a temptation to the Jews to follow the same business, and even to taste of the forbidden flesh; so that to use his words, it was in truth an act of grace and favour to the Jews, to remove from them so dangerous a snare, and so bad an example: and it may be added, by suffering the devils to go into the swine, several valuable ends were answered, infinitely preferable to the herd of swine; such as evincing the truth of the dispossession; showing the greatness of the mercy to the dispossessed; the power of Christ over the devils; and making for the spread of the fame of this miracle the more; as well as giving further proof of the malignity and mischievous disposition and actions of these evil spirits; by which the inhabitants of the adjacent places might learn, how hurtful they were to them, and what a blessing it was to be rid of them: and therefore ought to have been thankful to Christ for this dispossession, notwithstanding the loss of their swine; but such an effect it had not upon them, but the reverse, as the words following show.

e Geograph. 1. 6. f T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 108. 1. g Jacob Aben Amram, port. ver. No. 1028. apud Kidder, Demonstr. of the Messiah, par. 3. p. 51. h Kidder ib. p. 52.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this account of the demoniacs fully explained in the notes at Matthew 8:28-34.

Mark 5:4

He had been often bound with fetters and chains - Efforts had been made to confine him, but his great strength - his strength increased by his malady - had prevented it. There often appears to be a great increase of strength produced by insanity, and what is here stated in regard to this maniac often occurs in Palestine and elsewhere now. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 213) says respecting this case: “There are some very similar at the present day - furious and dangerous maniacs, who wander about the mountains, and sleep in tombs and caves. In their worst paroxysms they are quite unmanageable and prodigiously strong.” Luke 8:27 says of him that “he were no clothes,” or that he was naked, which is also implied in the account in Mark, who tells us that after he was healed he was found “clothed and in his right mind,” Mark 4:15. This is often a striking characteristic of insanity. Dr. Pritchard (on “Insanity,” p. 26) quotes from an Italian physician’s description of raving madness or mania: “A striking and characteristic circumstance is the propensity to go quite naked. The patient tears his clothes to tatters.” So Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 213) says: “It is one of the most common traits in this madness that the victims refuse to wear clothes. I have often seen them absolutely naked in the crowded streets of Beirut and Sidon. There are also cases in which they run wildly about the country and frighten the whole neighborhood. These poor wretches are held in the greatest reverence by Muslims, who, through some monstrous perversion of ideas, believe them to be inspired and peculiarly holy.”

Mark 5:5

Cutting himself with stones - These are all marks of a madman - a man bereft of reason, a wretched outcast, strong and dangerous. The inspired penman says that this madness was caused by an unclean spirit, or by his being under the influence of a devil. That this account is not irrational, see the notes at Matthew 4:24.

Mark 5:6

Worshipped him - Bowed down before him; rendered him homage. This was an acknowledgment of his power, and of his control over fallen spirits.

Mark 5:9

My name is Legion - See the notes at Matthew 8:29.

Mark 5:15

Sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind - There could be no doubt of the reality of this miracle. The man had been well known. He had long dwelt among the tombs, an object of terror and alarm. To see him all at once peaceful, calm, and rational, was proof that it was the power of God only that had done it.

They were afraid - They were awed, as in the presence of God. The word does not mean here that they feared that any evil would happen to them, but that they were affected with awe; they felt that God was there; they were struck with astonishment at what Jesus had done.

Mark 5:19

Jesus suffered him not - Various reasons have been conjectured why Jesus did not suffer this man to go with him. It might have been that he wished to leave him among the people as a conclusive evidence of his power to work miracles. Or it might have been that the man feared that if Jesus left him the devils would return, and that Jesus told him to remain to show to him that the cure was complete, and that he had power over the devils when absent as well as when present. But the probable reason is, that he desired to restore him to his family and friends. Jesus was unwilling to delay the joy of his friends, and to prolong their anxiety by suffering him to remain away from them.

Mark 5:20

In Decapolis - See the notes at Matthew 4:25.

How great things ... - This was the natural expression of right feeling at being cured of such a calamity. So the desire of sinners freed from sin is to honor Jesus, and to invite the world to participate in the same salvation, and to join them in doing honor to the Son of God. Compare Psalms 66:16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Mark 5:13. Gave them leave. — For επετρεψεν, DH, three others, and three copies of the Itala have επεμψεν, sent them.