DEMONS DRIVEN OUT BY JESUS

5 Theyaj came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.B 2 As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an uncleanak spirital came out of the tombsam and met him. 3 He lived in the tombs,an and no one was able to restrain him anymore—not even with a chainao—4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashedap the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdueaq him. 5 Nightar and day among the tombsas and on the mountains,at he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Sonau of the Most High God?av I beg you before God, don’t tormentaw me!” 8 For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you uncleanax spirit!”ay

9 “What is your name?” he asked him.

“My name is Legion,”az he answered him, “because we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.

11 A large herd of pigsba was there, feedingbb on the hillside. 12 The demonsC begged him, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission, and the uncleanbc spiritsbd came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.

14 The men who tended themD ran offbe and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed,bfbg sitting there, dressed and in his right mind;bh and they were afraid.bi 16 Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessedbj man and told about the pigs. 17 Then they began to beg him to leave their region.

18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him. 19 Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lorda has doneb for you and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So he went out and began to proclaimc in the Decapolisd how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.e