^8:29For Jesus¹⁰¹ had started commanding¹⁰² the evil¹⁰³ spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so¹⁰⁴ he would be bound with chains and shackles¹⁰⁵ and kept under guard. But¹⁰⁶ he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted¹⁰⁷ places.)¹⁰⁸

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Footnotes

101 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
102 Although the external evidence favors the aorist παρήγγειλεν (parēngeilen, “he commanded”; 𝔓75 B Θ Ξ Ψ f13 579 700 1241 1424 2542 ), the internal evidence favors the imperfect παρήγγελλεν (parēngellen, here translated “he had started commanding”; א A C K L W Γ Δ 1 33 565 892 ). The aorist is suspect because it can more easily be taken as a single command, and thus an immediate exorcism. The imperfect would most likely be ingressive ( §§328; 329; 331), suggesting that Jesus started to command the evil spirit to depart, and continued the command.
103 Grk “unclean.”
104 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so,” introducing a clause that gives the result of the man being seized by the demon.
105 Or “fetters”; these were chains for the feet.
106 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
107 Grk “into the deserts.” The plural use here has been translated as “deserted places,” that is, uninhabited areas.
108 This is a parenthetical, explanatory comment by the author.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.

NLTNew Living Translation

For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, and he was bound with chains and shackles and was guarded, and breaking the bonds he would be driven by the demon into the deserted places.)

KJV 1900King James Version

(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

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