MRK 5:1-20

The Demons and the Pigs

1And they came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes. [5:2] And as he got out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, [5:3] who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain — [5:4] because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. [5:5] And always, night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out and cutting himself with stones. [5:6] And seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran and prostrated himself before him [5:7] and crying out with a loud voice said, "What is there between me and you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God — do not torment me!" [5:8] For he had been saying to him: "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" [5:9] And he was asking him, "What is your name?" And he said to him, "My name is Legion, for we are many." [5:10] And he was begging him repeatedly not to send them out of the region. [5:11] Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding. [5:12] And they begged him, saying, "Send us into the pigs, so that we may enter them." [5:13] And he permitted them. And the unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea — about two thousand — and were drowned in the sea. [5:14] And those who were feeding them fled and reported it in the city and in the countryside. And they came to see what it was that had happened. [5:15] And they came to Jesus, and they saw the one who had been demonized, the man who had had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. [5:16] And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the one who had been demonized, and about the pigs. [5:17] And they began to beg him to depart from their region. [5:18] And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demonized was begging him that he might remain with him. [5:19] And he did not allow him, but said to him: "Go into your house, to your own people, and tell them what the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you." [5:20] And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him. And everyone marveled.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, the region of the Gerasenes, located in the Decapolis, was a predominantly Gentile area with a mix of Roman and Hellenistic cultural influences. Tombs were considered unclean spaces in Jewish thought, but for Gentiles, they were often places of spiritual significance or fear. The man living among the tombs, bound by chains and shackles , would have been seen as utterly dominated by unclean spirits , a condition understood as both a physical and spiritual affliction. The presence of pigs, unclean animals in Jewish law, underscores the Gentile setting and the cultural tensions at play. When the demons enter the pigs and drive them into the sea, it would have been interpreted as a display of Jesus' authority over unclean spirits and chaotic forces. The reaction of the townspeople, who plead with Jesus to leave, reflects the economic loss of the pigs and the fear of encountering such raw spiritual power. The healed man’s proclamation in the Decapolis highlights the spread of Jesus' fame in a Gentile context.

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How other translations render this

MRK 5:1

KJV: And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
BSB: On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes.
Koinōnos: And they came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes.

MRK 5:2

KJV: And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
BSB: As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.
Koinōnos: And as he got out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

MRK 5:3

KJV: Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
BSB: This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains.
Koinōnos: who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain —

MRK 5:4

KJV: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
BSB: Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him.
Koinōnos: because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.

MRK 5:5

KJV: And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
BSB: Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.
Koinōnos: And always, night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out and cutting himself with stones.

MRK 5:6

KJV: But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
BSB: When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him.
Koinōnos: And seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran and prostrated himself before him

MRK 5:7

KJV: And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
BSB: And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”
Koinōnos: and crying out with a loud voice said, "What is there between me and you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God — do not torment me!

MRK 5:8

KJV: For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
BSB: For Jesus had already declared, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!”
Koinōnos: For he had been saying to him: "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!

MRK 5:9

KJV: And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
BSB: “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”
Koinōnos: And he was asking him, "What is your name?" And he said to him, "My name is Legion, for we are many.

MRK 5:10

KJV: And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
BSB: And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region.
Koinōnos: And he was begging him repeatedly not to send them out of the region.

MRK 5:11

KJV: Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
BSB: There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding.
Koinōnos: Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding.

MRK 5:12

KJV: And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
BSB: So the demons begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.”
Koinōnos: And they begged him, saying, "Send us into the pigs, so that we may enter them.

MRK 5:13

KJV: 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.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: And he permitted them. And the unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea — about two thousand — and were drowned in the sea.

MRK 5:14

KJV: And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
BSB: Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
Koinōnos: And those who were feeding them fled and reported it in the city and in the countryside. And they came to see what it was that had happened.

MRK 5:15

KJV: And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
BSB: When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Koinōnos: And they came to Jesus, and they saw the one who had been demonized, the man who had had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

MRK 5:16

KJV: And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
BSB: Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs.
Koinōnos: And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the one who had been demonized, and about the pigs.

MRK 5:17

KJV: And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
BSB: And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region.
Koinōnos: And they began to beg him to depart from their region.

MRK 5:18

KJV: And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
BSB: As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him.
Koinōnos: And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demonized was begging him that he might remain with him.

MRK 5:19

KJV: Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
BSB: But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.”
Koinōnos: And he did not allow him, but said to him: "Go into your house, to your own people, and tell them what the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.

MRK 5:20

KJV: And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
BSB: So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Koinōnos: And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him. And everyone marveled.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MRK 5:3

dwelling:The word translated 'dwelling' here refers to a permanent place of residence, emphasizing the man's unusual and unsettling habitation among the tombs.

MRK 5:4

with shackles:The term used for 'shackles' specifically refers to fetters placed on the feet, highlighting the physical restraint attempted on the man.

MRK 5:6

and:The word translated 'and' here is actually a verb meaning to prostrate oneself in homage or worship, indicating a profound act of reverence or submission.

MRK 5:15

being demonised:The phrase 'being demonised' describes someone under the direct and active influence or control of a demonic spirit, not merely someone with a mental illness.