Marcos 5

Jesus expelled evil spirits from a Gerasene man and then allowed them to enter a herd of pigs, which then ran down a hill and drowned. As a result, the local people asked Jesus to leave the area.

1 Jesus and his disciples arrived on the east side of Lake Galilee. They landed near where the Gerasene people lived. 2 There was a man in that region whom evil spirits controlled. 3 Because that man was violent and people were afraid of him, they had tied him up many times. As he grew more violent, no one was able to tie him up any longer, not even with chains, 4 because the chains would be broken by him {he would break the chains} whenever he was bound {they bound him} with them. The iron shackles would also be smashed by him {He would also smash the iron shackles} whenever they were fastened {they fastened them} on his feet. 5 He lived in one of the caves where they bury dead people. During both night and day he would scream among the caves and in the hills. He would also cut himself with sharp stones. That day he came out of the caves. 6 As Jesus and his disciples got out of the boat, that man saw Jesus from a distance. He immediately ran to Jesus, and then he knelt before him. 7,8 Jesus said to the evil spirit, "You evil spirit, come out of this man!" But the demon did not leave quickly. It shouted very loudly, "Jesus, I know that you are the ◄Son of/man who is also► God, so ◄we have nothing in common./what do we have in common?► [IDM, RHQ] So leave me alone I ask you to promise, knowing God is listening, that you will not torture me now!" 9 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." 10 Then the evil spirits fervently kept begging Jesus that he not send them out of the region. 11 At the same time, a large herd of pigs was ◄grazing/rooting for food► nearby on the hillside. 12 So the evil spirits pleaded with Jesus, "Allow us to go to the pigs in order that we might enter them!" 13 He permitted them to do that. So the evil spirits left the man and entered the pigs. The herd, which numbered about 2,000, rushed down the cliff into the lake, and drowned in the lake.

14 The men who had been tending the pigs ran and reported in the town and the countryside what had happened. Many people went to see what had happened.