MARK 5:9 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Yeshua asked, “What’s your name?”
¶ The man answered, “My name is ‘Thousands’ because there’s many of us,”

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And he was asking him, “What is your name?”
¶  And he says to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

UST Then Jesus asked the man, “What do people call you?”
¶  He replied, “People call me ‘Thousands.’ They call me that because there are many of us demons in this man.”

BSB “What [is] your name?” [Jesus] asked.
§ “My name [is] Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

MSB “What [is] your name?” [Jesus] asked.
§ “My name [is] Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

BLB And He was asking him, "What is your name?" And he answered saying, "My name is Legion, because we are many."

AICNT And he asked him, “What is your name?” And he said to him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”

OEB And he asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘My name,’ he said, ‘is Legion, for there are many of us;’

WEBBE He asked him, “What is your name?”
¶ He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

LSV And He was questioning him, “What [is] your name?” And he answered, saying, “Legion [is] my name, because we are many”;

FBV Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
¶ “My name is Legion, because we are many!” he replied.

TCNT Then Jesus asked him, “What is yoʋr name?” He [fn]answered, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

5:9 answered ¦ said to him CT

T4T So, in order to expel the demon more easily, Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Crowd/Mob because there are many of us evil spirits in this man.”

LEB And he was asking him “_⌊What is your name_⌋?”[fn] And he said to him, “My name is Legion, because we are many.”

5:9 Literally “what name to you”

BBE And Jesus said, What is your name? And he made answer, My name is Legion, because there are a great number of us.

Moff Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he said, "there is a host of us."

Wymth Jesus also questioned him. "What is your name?" He said. "Legion," he replied, "for there are a host of us."

ASV And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many.

DRA And he asked him: What is thy name? And he saith to him: My name is Legion, for we are many.

YLT and he was questioning him, 'What [is] thy name?' and he answered, saying, 'Legion [is] my name, because we are many;'

Drby And he asked him, What is thy name? And he says to him, Legion is my name, because we are many.

RV And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many.
(And he asked him, What is thy/your name? And he saith/says unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many. )

SLT And he asked him, What the name to thee? And he answered, saying, My name, Legion: for we are many.

Wbstr And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

KJB-1769 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
(And he asked him, What is thy/your name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. )

KJB-1611 And he asked him, What is thy name? And hee answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And he asked hym, what is thy name? And he aunswered and sayd vnto hym: my name is legion, for we are many.
(And he asked him, what is thy/your name? And he answered and said unto him: my name is legion, for we are many.)

Gnva And he asked him, What is thy name? and hee answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
(And he asked him, What is thy/your name? and he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. )

Cvdl And he axed him: What is thy name? And he answered and sayde: My name is Legion, for there be many of vs.
(And he asked him: What is thy/your name? And he answered and said: My name is Legion, for there be many of us.)

TNT And he axed him: what is thy name? And he answered sayinge: my name is Legion for we are many.
(And he asked him: what is thy/your name? And he answered saying: my name is Legion for we are many. )

Wycl And Jhesus axide hym, What is thi name? And he seith to hym, A legioun is my name; for we ben many.
(And Yhesus asked him, What is thy/your name? And he saith/says to him, A legion is my name; for we been many.)

Luth Und er fragte ihn: Wie heißest du? Und er antwortete und sprach: Legion heiße ich; denn unser ist viel.
(And he asked him/it: How hottest you(sg)? And he replied and spoke: Legion hot I; because/than our is many.)

ClVg Et interrogabat eum: Quod tibi nomen est? Et dicit ei: Legio mihi nomen est, quia multi sumus.[fn]
(And he_asked him: That to_you name it_is? And he_says to_him: Legion to_me name it_is, because many we_are. )

5.9 Quod tibi nomen est? BEDA. Non quasi nescius interrogat, sed ut confessa publica peste quam toleraverat, virtus curantis gratior appareat. Sed etiam sacerdotes nostri temporis qui per exorcismum dæmones ejiciunt solent dicere: non aliter patientes posse curari, nisi quantum sapere possunt, omne quod a dæmonibus visu, auditu, vel quolibet sensu corporis aut animi vigilantes dormientesve pertulerunt, patenter confiteantur. Legio mihi nomen est. ID. Significat populum gentilem innumeris idololatriæ cultibus mancipatum: cui contra, est, etc., usque ad reprobos autem plures sectæ quam linguæ dissociando confundunt.

5.9 That to_you name it_is? BEDA. Not/No as_if ignorant asks, but as confessa public plague how toleraverat, virtue carentis gratior appear. But also priests our time who/which through exorcismum demons eyiciunt they_usually to_say: not/no otherwise patientes posse careri, except quantum to_be_wise they_can, everything that from demons visu, hearing, or quolibet sense body or of_the_soul vigilantes or_sleeping they_endured, patenter confiteantur. Legion to_me name it_is. ID. It_means the_people Gentile countlesss idolatry cultibus mancipatum: to_whom contra, it_is, etc., until to reprobate/rejected however many sectæ how tongues/languages dissociando confundunt.

UGNT καὶ ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν, τί ὄνομά σοι? καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Λεγιὼν ὄνομά μοι, ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμεν.
(kai epaʸrōta auton, ti onoma soi? kai legei autōi, Legiōn onoma moi, hoti polloi esmen.)

SBL-GNT καὶ ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν· Τί ⸂ὄνομά σοι⸃; καὶ ⸂λέγει αὐτῷ⸃· ⸀Λεγιὼν ὄνομά μοι, ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμεν·
(kai epaʸrōta auton; Ti ⸂onoma soi⸃; kai ⸂legei autōi⸃; ⸀Legiōn onoma moi, hoti polloi esmen;)

RP-GNT Καὶ ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν, Τί σοι ὄνομα; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, λέγων, Λεγεὼν ὄνομά μοι, ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμεν.
(Kai epaʸrōta auton, Ti soi onoma; Kai apekrithaʸ, legōn, Legeōn onoma moi, hoti polloi esmen.)

TC-GNT Καὶ ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν, Τί [fn]σοι ὄνομα; Καὶ [fn]ἀπεκρίθη, λέγων, [fn]Λεγεὼν ὄνομά μοι, ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμεν.
(Kai epaʸrōta auton, Ti soi onoma; Kai apekrithaʸ, legōn, Legeōn onoma moi, hoti polloi esmen. )

5:9 σοι ονομα ¦ ονομα σοι ANT CT

5:9 απεκριθη λεγων ¦ λεγει αυτω CT

5:9 λεγεων ¦ λεγιων CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–20: Jesus freed a man whom many evil spirits controlled

After the storm, Jesus and his disciples arrived at the northeastern shore of Lake Galilee. This was a region where many Gentiles lived.

When Jesus and his disciples arrived, a man who was controlled by many evil spirits immediately came to Jesus. Jesus commanded the evil spirits to leave the man. When the evil spirits left, they went to control a large herd of pigs and destroyed those pigs.

“Uncleanness” is a theme in this story. The evil spirits that controlled the man were called “unclean” spirits. Tombs were “unclean.” Jews also considered pigs to be “unclean.” Jesus showed his power over evil spirits when he healed the man.

It is good if you translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus commanded many unclean spirits to leave a man

The deliverance of a man who was controlled by many unclean spirits

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 8:28–34 and Luke 8:26–39.

Paragraph 5:6–10

In this paragraph, it is not always clear whether the text refers to the unclean spirit that controlled the man or to the man himself. Languages have different ways of referring to the actions and speech of people who are controlled by unclean spirits. Some languages use different pronouns or other forms to refer to people and spirits. Use natural ways in your language to refer to the unclean spirit and the man in each context.

5:9a

“What is your name?” Jesus asked.

And Jesus asked him, “What is your^(sing) name?”
Jesus asked him his name.

“What is your name?” Jesus asked: The pronoun your here could refer either to the man or to the evil spirit that was controlling him. The Greek text says that Jesus specifically asked “him” this question. The pronoun “him” could similarly refer either to the man or to the spirit. If you must choose, use a word that refers to the spirit, since the answer to Jesus’ question was a name that referred to the spirit. (See the note on Paragraph 5:6–10 for further discussion.) For example, the NIRV says:

Then Jesus asked the demon, “What is your name?”

General Comment on 5:8–9a

In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech to translate the quotes in these verses. For example:

For Jesus had just commanded the unclean spirit to leave the man. Then Jesus asked him what his name was.

5:9b

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

He replied, “My name is ‘Army’ because there are many of us.^(excl)”
He answered, “We^(excl) are called ‘Thousands’ because there are so many of us.^(excl)”

My name is Legion…for we are many: In some languages, it may not be natural to say My name (singular), and then to say we are (plural). You may need to use either the singular or plural for both parts of this statement. For example:

Our name is Legion, for we are many

My name is Legion, for I speak for many unclean spirits who control this man.

My name is Legion, for there are many unclean spirits in this man.

Legion: The word Legion was the name of the largest unit of soldiers in the Roman army. A legion had between four thousand and six thousand soldiers. The unclean spirit called himself Legion because there were many unclean spirits along with him that were controlling the man.

Here are some ways to translate Legion in this context:

Use a military word that describes a large group of soldiers. For example:
Army
Regiment
Thousands of Soldiers If it is natural in your language, this is the ideal option.
Use a word that describes a large number. It should be large enough to go well with the two thousand pigs mentioned in 5:13. For example:
Hundreds/Thousands
Use a word that describes a very large group of people. For example:
Crowd
Horde
Mob (GNT)

for we are many: The Greek word that the BSB translates here as for introduces an explanation of the unclean spirit’s name. Indicate this in a natural way in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate for we are many:

since there are many of us

because our number is great

he replied: In the Greek text, the words that the BSB translates as he replied come before the unclean spirit’s speech. The BSB has placed the phrase he replied in the middle of what the unclean spirit said. Place it where it is most natural in your language.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

Λεγιὼν ὄνομά μοι, ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμεν.

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν Τί ὄνομα σοί Καί λέγει αὐτῷ Λεγιών ὄνομα μοί ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμέν)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these clauses, since the second clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. Alternate translation: [We are many, so my name is Legion]

Note 2 topic: translate-names

Λεγιὼν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν Τί ὄνομα σοί Καί λέγει αὐτῷ Λεγιών ὄνομα μοί ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμέν)

A Legion is the name of a group of about 6,000 soldiers. So, translate the word Legion with a word in your language that refers to a large number of soldiers. You could show that this was the name of the man by using the convention in your language for proper names. Alternate translation: [is Army] or [is Battalion] or [is Brigade]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πολλοί ἐσμεν

many (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν Τί ὄνομα σοί Καί λέγει αὐτῷ Λεγιών ὄνομα μοί ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμέν)

Here the demon indicates that he is speaking for many demons who are together controlling the man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [I and the other demons with me are many]

Parallel MARK 5:9

Section 5:1–20: Jesus freed a man whom many evil spirits controlled

Paragraph 5:6–10

5:9a

General Comment on 5:8–9a

5:9b