Luke 8:26
in Luke 8Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee.
KJV
And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
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This verse in Luke 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,.... In Mat 8:28 it is called the country of the Gergesenes; see Gill on Mat 8:28 as it is here, in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; and "of the Gerasenes", in the Vulgate Latin; but the Syriac and Persic versions read, "of the Gadarenes", as in Mar 5:1. See Gill on Mar 5:1. which is over against Galilee: from whence the ship launched, and Christ and his disciples came.
This site's exposition
the country of the Gadarenes
on Luke 8:26-29
They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, over against Galilee and on Gentile ground, and there met him out of the city a certain man which had devils long time, ware no clothes, abode in no house, but among the tombs, a portrait of degradation as complete as the Gospels give. He had been bound with chains and fetters and had broken them, driven of the devil into the wilderness, and at the sight of Jesus he falls down crying with a loud voice, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high, the demons' own testimony naming him rightly before any human confession in the chapter does. The bench notes the parenthesis of verse 29 explaining a history already ended by the time the man meets Jesus, Luke's habit of filling in a scene's background after he has already begun it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The Saviour, as He sailed with His disciples, came to a port, as it is said, And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
Many accurate copies have neither "Gerazenes" nor "Gadarenes," but "Gergezenes." For Gadara is a city in Judæa, but neither lake nor sea is found at it; and Geraza is a city of Arabia, having neither lake nor sea near. But Gergeza, from which the Gergezenes are called, is an ancient city near the lake of Tiberias, above which is a rock hanging over the lake, into which they say the swine were dashed down by the devils. But since Gadara and Geraza border upon the land of the Gergezenes, it is probable that the swine were led from thence to their parts.
The Medieval Church3 voices
And they sailed to the region, etc. After the Evangelist first showed that Christ has dominion over corporeal creation, here secondly he shows that he has dominion over spiritual creation in the admirable expulsion of the demonic legion. Hence the Evangelist intends in this part …
And they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. Gerasa is a notable city of Arabia beyond the Jordan, adjacent to the mountain Gilead, which was held by the tribe of Manasseh, not far from the lake of Tiberias, into which …
For Geraza is a famous city of Arabia, on the other side of the Jordan, close to the mountain of Galaad, which was possessed by the tribe of Manasseh, and not far from the lake of Tiberias, into which the swine were cast headlong. Now mystically; Gerasa signifies the Gentile nations, whom after His passion and resurrection Christ visited in His preachers. Hence Gerasa or Gergesa, as some say, is by interpretation "casting out an inhabitant," that is, the devil by whom it was before possessed, or, "a stranger approaching," who before was afar off.
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
It is shown, therefore, that from the aforesaid, according to the literal sense, seven notable points can be gathered: first, that the power of Christ's word alone exceeds the strength of infinite thousands of demons; second, that the fury of demons with respect to the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
); and he soon met with that which was his business over, and which he thought it worth his while to go through a storm to accomplish. We may learn a great deal out of this story concerning this world of infernal, malignant spirits, which, though not working now ordinarily in the same way as here, yet we are all concerned at all times to stand upon our guard against.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The well-known narrative which we have now read, is carefully recorded by all of the first three Gospel-writers. It is a striking instance of our Lord's complete dominion over the evil prince of this world. We see the great enemy of our souls for once completely vanquished — the "strong man" foiled by One stronger than he — and the lion spoiled of his prey. Let us mark, first, in this passage — the miserable condition of those over whom the devil reigns. The picture brought before us is a frightful one.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The well-known narrative which we have now read, is carefully recorded by all of the first three Gospel-writers. It is a striking instance of our Lord's complete dominion over the evil prince of this world. We see the great enemy of our souls for once completely vanquished — the "strong man" foiled by One stronger than he — and the lion spoiled of his prey. Let us mark, first, in this passage — the miserable condition of those over whom the devil reigns. The picture brought before us is a frightful one. We are told that when our Lord arrived in the country of the Gadarenes, "He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house — but had lived in the tombs." We are also told that although he had been "bound with chains and in fetters — he broke the chains, and was driven by the devil into the wilderness." In short, the case seems to have been one of the most aggravated forms of demon possession. The unhappy sufferer was under the complete dominion of Satan — both in body and soul. As long as he continued in this state — he must have been a burden and a trouble to all around him. His mental faculties were under the control of a "legion" of demons. His bodily strength was only employed for his own injury and shame. It is difficult to conceive of a more pitiable state for mortal man to be in! Cases of bodily possession by Satan, like this, are, to say the least, very rarely met with in modern times. Yet we must not, on this account, forget that the devil is continually exercising a fearful power over many hearts and souls. He still urges many, in whose hearts he reigns, into self-dishonoring and self-destroying habits of life. He still rules many with a rod of iron. He goads them on from vice to vice, and from profligacy to profligacy.
The country of the Gadarenes - Or, according to several MSS., Gerasenes or Gergasenes. See on Mat 8:28 (note), and Mar 5:1 (note).
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κατέπλευσαν | katepleusan | they sailed down | G2668 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χώραν | choran | region | G5561 → | 28 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Γερασηνῶν | gerasenon | Gerasenes | G1086 → | |
| ἥτις | hetis | which | G3748 → | 144 times |
| ἐστὶν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἀντιπέρα | antipera | opposite | G495 → | |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Γαλιλαίας.¶ | galilaias | Galilee. | G1056 → | 61 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κατέπλευσανthey sailed down
katepleusanG2668 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
χώρανregion
choranG5561 →28 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΓερασηνῶνGerasenes
gerasenonG1086 →
ἥτιςwhich
hetisG3748 →144 times
ἐστὶνis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἀντιπέραopposite
antiperaG495 →
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
Γαλιλαίας.¶Galilee.
galilaiasG1056 →61 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 8; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Titus of Bostra, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.