Mark 5:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

NIV: He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

NASB: Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

CSB: So he gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.

NLT: So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

KJV: And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

NKJV: And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

In order to save a man tormented by demons, Jesus allows the demons to enter a herd of pigs. Note that He neither suggests, orders, nor even indicates that He anticipates the imminent destruction of the pigs. Despite being a Jew under the Mosaic Law, He is not on a personal crusade to save foreign Gentiles from pigs. Jesus' entire purpose here is to save a man. While He undoubtedly knows the demons will kill the pigs, He is not responsible for those actions. He is aware that homeless demons feel unsettled (Matthew 12:43–44) and that people are far more important than animals (Matthew 6:26; 12:12). He would also know that under normal circumstances, pigs don't have a herd instinct that would lend them to stampeding down a hill to their doom. When frightened, a group of pigs scatter. And pigs can swim.

So this verse says very little about Jesus' character—or that of the pigs—and much about the nature of demons. Throughout history, demons have been worshiped by dark occultists who wish to tap into their ungodly spiritual power. Lately, however, demons have increasingly been portrayed in popular fiction as sympathetic characters wronged by their Creator-tyrant and denied the opportunity for forgiveness. Alternatively, they are used as monsters that a human foe, with or without the use of magic, can defeat.

These portrayals are wrong and dangerous. Demons live in a state of total rebellion against God. They are compelled to subjugate themselves to Him (Mark 5:6), but they do not worship Him as their Lord. Although they pretend to be our allies, they wish nothing more than our destruction. And we do not have the spiritual power to defeat them; even Michael the archangel would not rebuke Satan in his own authority (Jude 1:9). The pigs, stampeding against their instincts and drowning despite their abilities, serve as a vivid illustration for us of the treacherous and destructive force of demons.

Mark 5:1–13 describes Jesus' encounter with a man possessed by a vast number of demonic spirits. Jesus has shown His authority over storms during the turbulent crossing of the Sea of Galilee. In a cemetery on the eastern shore of the lake, He and the twelve meet a wild, dangerous man controlled by a ''legion'' of demons. Jesus allows the fleeing evil spirits to enter a herd of pigs which promptly run into the sea and drown. The man is grateful. The locals, either startled by Jesus' power or afraid for their livestock, promptly ask Jesus to leave. This account is also found in Luke 8:26–33 and possibly Matthew 8:28–32 which mentions two possessed men.

Jesus arrives on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and heals a man afflicted by a ''legion'' of demons. In the aftermath of this event, Jesus once again crosses the waters within this region, known as the Decapolis. There, He is approached by a synagogue leader, begging Him to come and save a dying girl. In the midst of this trip, Jesus stops the crowd to identify a woman who attempted to covertly touch his robes; her faithful act results in healing. Jesus then continues on to the home of the synagogue leader and resurrects his recently-deceased child.

Mark 4:35—5:43 sees an increase in the scope of Jesus' miracles. He has just calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Now, He expels a legion of demons, heals a woman without overtly acting, and brings a girl back to life. All three situations—related to tombs, blood, and death—show Jesus bringing healing to unclean circumstances. In chapter 6, the tone of His ministry will develop. He will be rejected by those who should know Him best, He will send out His followers to do His work, and His direct link to the Old Testament prophets will be explained.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.