^8:32Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,¹¹⁵ and the demonic spirits¹¹⁶ begged Jesus¹¹⁷ to let them go into them. He gave them permission.¹¹⁸^8:33So¹¹⁹ the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs¹²⁰ rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.

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Footnotes

115 Grk “mountain,” but this might give the English reader the impression of a far higher summit.
116 Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
117 Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
118 Many have discussed why Jesus gave them permission, since the animals were destroyed. However, this is another example of a miracle that is a visual lesson. The demons are destructive: They were destroying the man. They destroyed the pigs. They destroy whatever they touch. The point was to take demonic influence seriously, as well as Jesus’ power over it as a picture of the larger battle for human souls. There would be no doubt how the man’s transformation had taken place.
119 Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion and transition in the narrative.
120 The words “of pigs” are supplied because of the following verb in English, “were drowned,” which is plural.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him to permit them to enter the pigs, and he gave them permission. The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

NLTNew Living Translation

There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.

So Jesus gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding there on the hill, and they implored him that he would permit them to enter into those pigs. And he permitted them. So the demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed headlong down the steep slope into the lake and were drowned.

KJV 1900King James Version

And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

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