Luke 8:26-39
New Living Translation
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man
26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes,[a] across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil[b] spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.[c]
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
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Luke 8:26-39
International Standard Version
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man(A)
26 They landed in the region of the Gerasenes,[a] which is just across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus[b] stepped out on the shore, a man from the city met him. This man was controlled by[c] demons and had not worn clothes for a long time. He did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he screamed, fell down in front of him, and cried out in a loud voice, “What do you want from me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torture me!” 29 because Jesus[d] was in the process of ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. On many occasions the unclean spirit[e] had seized the man,[f] and though he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the chains and be driven by the demon into deserted places.
30 Jesus asked the man,[g] “What’s your name?”
He answered, “Legion,”[h] because many demons had gone into him. 31 Then the demons[i] began begging Jesus[j] not to order them to go into the bottomless pit.[k]
32 Now a large herd of pigs was grazing there on the hillside. So the demons[l] begged Jesus[m] to let them go into those pigs, and he consented to that. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down a steep slope into the lake and drowned.
34 Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside. 35 So the people[n] went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened. 36 The people who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 Then all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes[o] asked Jesus[p] to leave them, because they were terrified. So he got into a boat and started back.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had gone out kept begging Jesus[q] to let him go with him. But Jesus[r] sent him away, saying, 39 “Go home and tell what God has done for you.” So the man[s] left and kept proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
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- Luke 8:26 Other mss. read Gadarenes; still other mss. read Gergesenes
- Luke 8:27 Lit. he
- Luke 8:27 Lit. He had
- Luke 8:29 Lit. he
- Luke 8:29 Lit. it
- Luke 8:29 Lit. him
- Luke 8:30 Lit. him
- Luke 8:30 A Roman legion consisted of about 6,000 men.
- Luke 8:31 Lit. they
- Luke 8:31 Lit. him
- Luke 8:31 I.e. the realm of punishment in the afterlife
- Luke 8:32 Lit. they
- Luke 8:32 Lit. him
- Luke 8:35 Lit. they
- Luke 8:37 Other mss. read Gadarenes; still other mss. read Gergesenes
- Luke 8:37 Lit. him
- Luke 8:38 Lit. him
- Luke 8:38 Lit. he
- Luke 8:39 Lit. he
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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