Section 8:26–39
Jesus freed a man whom many demons controlled
After the storm in the preceding section, Jesus and his disciples arrived at the northeastern shore of Lake Galilee. Most of the people who lived in this region were Gentiles. A man who was controlled by many demons immediately came to Jesus. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man. When they left, they went to control a large herd of pigs and destroyed them. When Jesus freed the man from these demons, he showed his great power over them.
“Uncleanness” is a theme in this story. The spirits that controlled the man were considered “unclean” (and called “unclean” in 8:29a). Tombs were “unclean.” Jews also considered pigs to be “unclean.”
When people saw that Jesus had caused the demons to leave the man and enter the pigs, they asked him to leave the area. Their response showed that even when people saw that Jesus was very powerful, sometimes they still would not believe in him or accept him as the Messiah.
Some other possible headings for this section are:
Jesus commanded many demons to leave a man
-or-
The deliverance of a man who was controlled by many demons
There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 8:28–34 and Mark 5:1–20.
Paragraph 8:26–33
In this paragraph Luke told about events that happened when Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the lake. Several times Luke inserted background information about the past. In some languages speakers often shift in this way between telling events and giving background information to explain them. Use natural ways to do this in your language.
In some languages this shift between actions and background information may be confusing. You may need to change the order of some information in these verses. See the General Comment on 8:27a–28a at the end of the notes on 8:28a and the longer General Comment on 8:27–29 at the end of the notes on 8:29e for suggestions.
8:26a
Then: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “and.” Some English versions, such as the King James Version, translate it that way. Other versions, such as the New International Version, Contemporary English Version, and Good News Translation, do not translate this conjunction. But other versions say “So” (NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004)) or “Then” (Berean Standard Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version). Connect 4:4a to 4:3b in a way that is natural in your language.
they: The word they refers to Jesus and his disciples. Refer to them here at the beginning of this story in a natural way in your language.
sailed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sailed refers to traveling by boat (using either oars or sails). It specifically means “to come from the deep water to the shore.” It refers here to the end of the trip that Jesus and his disciples started in 8:22. Some languages may have a specific word for this. For example:
landed (Revised English Bible)
Other ways to indicate this are:
they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
sailed across Lake Galilee and came to shore (Contemporary English Version)
the region of the Gerasenes: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Gerasenes refers to people who lived in the city called “Gerasa” and the countryside around it. Gerasenes were mostly non-Jewish people. The phrase the region of the Gerasenes means “the region where the Gerasene people lived.” Some other ways to translate this are:
region/area of the Gerasa people
-or-
place where people called the Gerasenes lived
-or-
region of the city of Gerasa and around it
Gerasenes: There is a textual issue in this verse:
(1) Some Greek manuscripts have Gerasenes, people from the town of Gerasa.
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) Other Greek manuscripts have Gadarenes, people from the town of Gadara.
(King James Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1), which is followed by most English versions. However, if the national language version in the area follows option (2), it is recommended that you put this in a footnote. For example:
Other Greek manuscripts and the [national language version] have “Gadarenes.”
8:26b
across the lake from Galilee: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as across the lake from Galilee is literally “opposite Galilee.” Because “opposite” here means “on the opposite side of the lake from Galilee,” it may be clearer to say across the lake from Galilee, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
They sailed from the northwest shore of the lake in the province of Galilee to the northeast shore. If your language requires or prefers to indicate the direction of travel, indicate that they were sailing east.
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