The Demons and the Pigs

(Matthew 8:28–34, Mark 5:1–20)

26 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[fn] across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothing or lived in a house, but he stayed in the tombs.

28 When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, shouting in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You not to torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.

30 “What is your name?” Jesus asked.

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss.

32 There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission.

33 Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside. 35 So the people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man whom the demons had left, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Meanwhile, those who had seen it reported how the demon-possessed man had been healed.

37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to depart from them, because great fear had taken hold of them. So He got into the boat and started back.

38 The man whom the demons had left begged to go with Jesus. But He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and describe how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and proclaimed all over the town how much Jesus had done for him.