The Complete Sayings of Jesus

The Madman and the Swine.

A.D. 28. Age 31 Sea of Galilee. Decapolis.

Mark 5, 1-20: Luke 8, 26-40: Matthew 8, 28-34.

THEY came over unto the other side of the sea, and arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, over against Galilee. And when Jesus was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man¹ with an unclean spirit, who ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but among the tombs: he had devils long time, and no man could bind him, no not with chains. Jesus said, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. He fell down before Jesus, and cried out, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. And Jesus asked him, What is thy name? He answered, Legion: for we are many. Now there was a good way off from them a herd of swine feeding. And the devils besought Jesus, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. Jesus gave them leave: he said,Go. The unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. They were about two thousand. They that fed the swine went and told it in the city. And, behold, the whole city came out: they come to Jesus, and see him that had the legion, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: they were afraid. And the Gadarenes round about besought Jesus to depart out of their coasts. Jesus went up into the ship. Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought Jesus that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house. Go home to thy friends; tell them how the Lord had compassion on thee, and shew them how great things God hath done unto thee. Jesus passed over by ship unto the other side, and came into his own city. Much people gladly received him.

Footnotes:

¹The narratives of Mark and Luke say one man; Matthew's, two.