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Mark 5:4
ESV for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.
NIV For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
NASB because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him.
CSB because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
NLT Whenever he was put into chains and shackles — as he often was — he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
KJV Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
NKJV because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.

What does Mark 5:4 mean?

We tend to think of demon possession manifesting as mental disorders or blasphemous speech, but the Bible shows it often has a physical aspect. In Acts 19:13–16, demon-possessed men attack a group of charlatan exorcists, beat them, strip their clothes, and run them out of a house. In Mark 9:14–29, Jesus frees a boy possessed by a demon that regularly throws him into fire or water, attempting to kill him. In this case, a "legion" (Mark 5:9) of demons has given a man supernatural strength.

The life of this man is desperate and violent. "Shackles" is from the Greek root word pede, which refers to a fetter for one's feet. A chain is as we would imagine—metal links that no mortal should be able to break. Diaspao, the Greek root for "wrenched" doesn't just mean break, it means to tear into pieces.

The demon-possessed man's supernatural strength shows the true nature of sin and evil. Despite whatever self-help books or diets or 12-step programs we enroll in, these are merely external controls that mitigate behavior. They don't heal our root issues. Rules and standards are necessary for a decent society, but they don't save. This was the entire point of the Old Testament era—the time of an independent Israel governed by the law God revealed to Moses. Even though the people knew exactly how to act to please God, they weren't capable of carrying out the requirements. The demoniac is a vibrant illustration of the heart of anyone who tries to find salvation in rules—it is chaotic, lonely, and ready to break its bonds at any moment.
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