Mark 5:16

Christian Standard Bible ®

Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs.

Parallel Translations

King James Version (1611)
And they that saw it, tolde them how it befell to him that was possessed with the deuill, and also concerning the swine.

King James Version
And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

English Standard Version
And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs.

New American Standard Bible
Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the pigs.

New Century Version
The people who saw this told the others what had happened to the man who had the demons living in him, and they told about the pigs.

Amplified Bible
Those who had seen it described [in detail] to the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and [told them all] about the pigs.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.

Legacy Standard Bible
And those who had seen it recounted to them how this had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.

Berean Standard Bible
Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs.

Contemporary English Version
Everyone who had seen what had happened told about the man and the pigs.

Complete Jewish Bible
Those who had seen it told what had happened to the man controlled by demons and to the pigs;

Darby Translation
And they that had seen [it] related to them how it had happened to the [man] possessed by demons, and concerning the swine.

Easy-to-Read Version
Those who had seen what Jesus did told the others what happened to the man who had the demons living in him. And they also told about the pigs.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And they that saw it, tolde them, what was done to him that was possessed with the deuil, and concerning the swine.

George Lamsa Translation
And those who saw it told them just how it happened to the lunatic and also to the swine.

Good News Translation
Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the man with the demons, and about the pigs.

Lexham English Bible
And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs.

Literal Translation
And those seeing it related to them how it happened to the one who had been demon possessed, and about the pigs.

American Standard Version
And they that saw it declared unto them how it befell him that was possessed with demons, and concerning the swine.

Bible in Basic English
And those who had seen it gave them an account of what had been done to him who had the evil spirits, and of the fate of the pigs.

Hebrew Names Version
Those who saw it declared to them how it happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs.

International Standard Version
The people who had seen it told them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs.

Etheridge Translation
And they who had seen, related to them what had been done to him who had had the devils, and also concerning those swine.

Murdock Translation
And those who had seen [fn] told them how it occurred to him who had the demons, and also concerning the swine.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they that sawe it, tolde them, howe it came to passe to hym that was possessed with the deuyll: and also of the swyne.

English Revised Version
And they that saw it declared unto them how it befell him that was possessed with devils, and concerning the swine.

World English Bible
Those who saw it declared to them how it happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they saw it told them how it befell that demoniac, and also concerning the swine.

Weymouth's New Testament
And those who had seen it told them the particulars of what had happened to the demoniac, and all about the swine.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei that saien, hou it was don to hym that hadde a feend, and of the swyne, telden to hem.

Update Bible Version
And those that saw it declared to them how it befell him that was possessed with demons, and concerning the swine.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they that saw [it] told them how it befell him that was possessed with the demon, and [also] concerning the swine.

New English Translation
Those who had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man reported it, and they also told about the pigs.

New King James Version
And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.

New Living Translation
Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs.

New Life Bible
Those who had seen it told what had happened to the man who had had the demons. They told what had happened to the pigs.

New Revised Standard
Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the beholders narrated to them, how it happened to the demonized man, and concerning the swine.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they that had seen it, told them, in what manner he had been dealt with who had the devil; and concerning the swine.

Revised Standard Version
And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And they that sawe it tolde them how it had happened vnto him that was possessed with the devyll: and also of the swyne.

Young's Literal Translation
and those having seen [it], declared to them how it had come to pass to the demoniac, and about the swine;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And they that had sene it, tolde them what had happened to the possessed, and of the swyne.

Mace New Testament (1729)
and when the eye-witnesses had related what had pass'd with respect to the demoniack, and to the swine:

THE MESSAGE
Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Word spread quickly about what happened and the people were afraid. They

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

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they that saw it,.... Not the keepers of the swine, for they were fled and gone; but others that were eyewitnesses of the whole affair, who lived in houses hard by, or were working in the fields; or the disciples of Christ:

told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil; gave a particular account, how, upon first sight of Christ, he ran to meet him, and fell down and worshipped him; how Christ ordered the unclean spirit to come out of him; and how he was dispossessed of a legion of devils by a word speaking:

and also concerning the swine; how, at the request of the devils, and by the leave of Christ, they entered into them; upon which they ran mad; and betaking themselves to the rocks by the sea side, fell down the precipice, and were suffocated in the sea.

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.