Paragraph 8:32–34
8:32a
“Go!” He told them: The Berean Standard Bible places the words He told them after what Jesus said. In some languages, it may be more natural to place these words at the beginning of 8:32. For example:
And he said to them, “Go.” (English Standard Version)
Go!: The Greek word translated as Go! means “Go away” or “Depart.” By saying Go!, Jesus ordered the demons to leave the men. It is implied that he also gave them permission to enter the pigs.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
All right, go! (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Then go! (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
In some languages, it will be natural to translate this as indirect speech. For example:
He told them to go.
8:32b
they came out: This clause means that the demons came out of the two men. It refers to the demons no longer controlling the men.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
the demons came out of the men (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they abandoned the men
-or-
they stopped controlling them and left
went into the pigs: This clause indicates that the demons entered into the pigs and began controlling them as they had been controlling the two men.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
entered the pigs (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
went and began controlling the pigs
-or-
went into the pigs and possessed them
8:32c
The Greek of 8:32c begins with a word that is often translated as “behold.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this word. It indicates that something extraordinary will happen. Here, the amazing event is that the pigs ran into the water and drowned.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
suddenly (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Unexpectedly
This word also occurs in 8:29a–b.
the whole herd rushed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rushed refers to running with no regard to safety.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
all the pigs ran recklessly
-or-
the whole herd charged (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
the whole herd rushed madly (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
the steep bank: This phrase indicates that the place where the pigs were feeding was on the side of a hill. The hill was very sloped. The pigs rushed down the steep slope directly into the water. They did not fall or jump off a cliff.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the steep slope (NET Bible)
-or-
the steep hillside (New Living Translation (2004))
8:32d
died in the waters: This phrase indicates that all the pigs died in the lake. The demons did not die.
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