Healing of Two Demon-Possessed Men
Matthew 8:28-34
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Matt.8.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ελθοντος: VERB,aor,act,part,gen,m,sg
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- περαν: PREP
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- χωραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- Γαδαρηνων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- υπηντησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- δυο: NUM,acc,pl
- δαιμονιζομενοι: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,m,pl
- εκ: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- μνημειων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- εξερχομενοι: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,m,pl
- χαλεποι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- λιαν: ADV
- ωστε: CONJ
- μη: PART
- ισχυειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- τινα: PRON,acc,sg,m
- παρελθειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
- δια: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- οδου: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εκεινης: PRON,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 5:1-5 (verbal): Synoptic parallel: Jesus crosses to the Gerasenes/Gadarenes and meets a demon-possessed man(s) living among the tombs, described as violent and uncontrollable.
- Luke 8:26-29 (verbal): Parallel account in Luke: same episode (Gerasenes/Gadarenes), demon-possessed man from the tombs, demons recognize Jesus and protest, emphasizing the same setting and characterization.
- Mark 1:23-27 (cf. Luke 4:33-36) (thematic): Earlier exorcism where an unclean spirit recognizes Jesus' authority and is commanded to come out—theme of demons confronting and being subject to Jesus' power.
- Isaiah 65:4 (thematic): Uses similar imagery of people who 'dwell among the graves' or in tombs; provides cultural/prophetic background for tombs as places associated with impurity, marginality, and spiritual alienation.
Alternative generated candidates
- And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two men possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
- And when he came to the country of the Gadarenes, two men possessed by demons came out of the tombs to meet him—so violent that no one could pass that way.
Matt.8.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- εκραξαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- λεγοντες·Τι: PARTCP,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl
- και: CONJ
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- υιε: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ηλθες: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- ωδε: ADV
- προ: PREP
- καιρου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- βασανισαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
Parallels
- Mark 5:7 (verbal): Parallel account of the Gerasene demoniac where the demon cries out, addressing Jesus as 'Son of the Most High God' and begging/crying in his presence—closely mirrors Matthew's wording and recognition of Jesus' identity.
- Luke 8:28 (verbal): Luke's parallel to the same exorcism; the possessed man (and the demons) cries out to Jesus, explicitly recognizing him and asking about torment—verbal and narrative parallel to Matthew 8:29.
- Luke 4:41 (verbal): Demons publicly recognize Jesus' divine identity ('You are the Son of God!') and react to his presence—similar motif of demon recognition of Jesus' status and authority.
- Acts 19:15 (thematic): An evil spirit confronts ministry figures with the name of Jesus ('Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize...'), showing the recognitional power of Jesus' name—thematic parallel to demons addressing Jesus by title and responding to his power.
- Revelation 20:7-10 (allusion): The demons' question about being 'tormented... before the time' echoes Revelation's depiction of final/eschatological torment; Matthew's line evokes the future punishment reserved for evil spirits at the consummation.
Alternative generated candidates
- And behold, they cried out, saying, 'What have we to do with you, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?'
- And behold, they cried out, "What have we to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?"
Matt.8.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- μακραν: ADV
- απ᾽αυτων: PREP+PRON,gen,pl,3
- αγελη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- χοιρων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- πολλων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- βοσκομενη: VERB,pres,mid,part,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 5:11-13 (verbal): Mark’s parallel pericope explicitly mentions a large herd of pigs feeding nearby and records the demons entering the herd and the pigs rushing into the sea — close verbal and narrative correspondence to Matthew 8:30.
- Luke 8:32 (verbal): Luke’s account likewise specifies a herd of many pigs feeding on the hillside, paralleling Matthew’s detail about the nearby herd of swine in the Gerasene/Gadarene episode.
- Matt.8:31 (structural): Immediate Matthean context: the demons’ request to enter the herd occurs in the next verse, linking the presence of the pigs directly to the exorcism narrative and showing the verse’s role within the same structural unit.
- Leviticus 11:7 (thematic): Leviticus’ prohibition/classification of the pig as unclean provides a thematic background: the presence of swine in the story highlights impurity and social/religious boundaries relevant to Jewish readers.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now there was at a distance from them a herd of many swine feeding.
- Now a great herd of pigs was feeding at a distance from them.
Matt.8.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- δαιμονες: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- παρεκαλουν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- λεγοντες·Ει: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- εκβαλλεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
- αποστειλον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αγελην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- χοιρων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 5:12–13 (verbal): Direct Synoptic parallel: demons beg Jesus to be sent into the herd of swine; very similar wording and sequence (demons' petition and entry into the pigs).
- Luke 8:32–33 (verbal): Direct parallel in Luke's Gospel of the Gerasene demoniac story—demons request to enter the swine and Jesus permits it; close verbal and narrative correspondence.
- Luke 4:41 (thematic): Thematic parallel showing demons recognizing Jesus' authority and speaking to him; illustrates the recurring motif of unclean spirits addressing and pleading with Jesus.
- Acts 16:16–18 (structural): Structural parallel: an apostolic exorcism (Paul) where a spirit-possessed individual is freed, producing economic/social repercussions for the owners—comparable social fallout to the swine-owners' loss in the Gerasene episode.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the demons begged him, saying, 'If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.'
- The demons pleaded with him, "If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
Matt.8.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Υπαγετε: PRON,dat,pl,m;VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- εξελθοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- απηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- χοιρους·και: NOUN,acc,pl,m;CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- ωρμησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- πασα: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αγελη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- κατα: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- κρημνου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- απεθανον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- υδασιν: NOUN,dat,pl,n
Parallels
- Mark 5:13 (verbal): Direct parallel account in Mark: demons enter the herd of pigs, which rush down a steep bank into the sea and drown — very close wording and sequence to Matthew 8:32.
- Luke 8:33 (verbal): Direct Lukan parallel: the same episode of demons leaving the man and entering the pigs, which then rush into the lake and perish — closely parallels Matthew's narrative.
- Mark 5:1-20 (structural): The wider Gerasene demoniac pericope in Mark contains the same incident in context (demoniac's healing, transfer of demons into pigs, townspeople's reaction), offering the broader narrative structure and theological parallels to Matthew 8:32.
- Acts 19:13-16 (thematic): A thematic parallel: demonic recognition of holy names and public spectacle of exorcism leading to fear/humiliation (the sons of Sceva episode), echoing motifs of demonic activity, public reaction, and the power exercised over spirits seen in Matthew 8:32.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to them, 'Go.' And they came out and entered the pigs; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.
- He said to them, "Go." And when they came out, they went into the pigs; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.
Matt.8.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- βοσκοντες: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- εφυγον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- απελθοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πολιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- απηγγειλαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,neut
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- δαιμονιζομενων: VERB,pres,mp,ptc,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 5:14 (verbal): Same episode of the swineherds fleeing and bringing the news to the town; Mark's wording about the herdsmen fleeing and reporting is nearly identical.
- Mark 5:15 (verbal): Mark continues that those who had seen the event told what had happened to the demon-possessed, paralleling Matthew's 'told all and what had happened to the demon-possessed.'
- Luke 8:34 (thematic): Luke's account of the Gerasene demoniac includes the flight of the swine and the herdsmen's reaction, providing the same narrative context as Matthew.
- Luke 8:35 (verbal): Luke explicitly states that witnesses reported to the people what had happened to the man formerly possessed, mirroring Matthew's emphasis on the news spreading to the town.
Alternative generated candidates
- Those who tended the swine fled and went into the city and told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs.
- Those tending the pigs fled and went into the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
Matt.8.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- πασα: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- πολις: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- υπαντησιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ιδοντες: VERB,aor,act,ptc,nom,pl,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- παρεκαλεσαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- οπως: CONJ
- μεταβη: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,sg
- απο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- οριων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
Parallels
- Mark 5:17 (verbal): Direct parallel account of the Gerasenes/Gadarene episode—townspeople beg Jesus to leave their region (very similar wording).
- Luke 8:37 (verbal): Synoptic parallel to Matthew 8:34 describing the whole town coming out to meet Jesus and begging him to depart from them.
- Mark 5:15 (structural): Part of the same pericope showing the crowd's reaction to the healing and demonic expulsion, setting up the town's request that Jesus depart. (See the immediate narrative context.)
- Matt.21:10 (thematic): Different occasion but similar motif—'the whole city came out to meet Jesus' as a communal response to his arrival (contrast in tone and outcome).
- John 12:12–13 (thematic): Triumphal-entry scene where a great crowd goes out to meet Jesus—thematically related as communal gatherings responding to Jesus' presence, though with a welcoming rather than expulsive response.
Alternative generated candidates
- And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to depart from their region.
- And behold, the whole town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to depart from their region.
And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two men met him coming out of the tombs, possessed by demons—so violent that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, 'What have we to do with you, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?' Now at some distance from them a great herd of swine was feeding. And the demons begged him, 'If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.' And he said to them, 'Go.' And when they had come out, they went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep into the sea and perished in the waters.
Those who tended them fled, and going into the town they reported everything, and what had happened to the men possessed by demons. And behold, all the town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to depart from their region.