Luke 8:29
in Luke 8For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out from the man. For oftentimes it had seized him: and he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters; and breaking the bands asunder, he was driven of the demon into the deserts.
KJV
(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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This verse in Luke 8
Commentary
14 notes on this verseMark here the combination of fear with boldness and great desperation, for it is a sign of devilish despair to speak out boldly, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? but of fear when they pray, I beseech thee not to cast me out. But if thou knowest Him to be the Son of God most high, thou confessest Him to be the God of heaven and earth, and of all things that are contained in them.
This site's exposition
they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes
on Luke 8:26-29
In the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee, a demon-possessed man cried out, Son of the Most High God. On Gentile ground the demons name Jesus rightly before any human confession in the chapter.
This site's exposition
bound with chains and shackles
Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out, which explains the cry of verse 28. Bonaventure says the plea availed little, being forced. Bede reads the chains and shackles as the harsh laws of the Gentiles, which restrain sins.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(ubi sup.) Now that he was bound by brazen fetters and chains, signifies the harsh and severe laws of the Gentiles, by which also in their states offences are restrained. But, that having burst these chains he was driven by the evil spirit into the wilderness, means that having broken through these laws, he was also led by lust to those crimes which exceeded the ordinary life of men. By the expression that there was in him a legion of devils, the nations are signified who served many devils. But the fact that the devils were permitted to go into the swine, which fed on the mountains, signifies also the unclean and proud men over whom the evil spirits have dominion, because of their worship of idols. For the swine are they who, after the manner of unclean animals without speech and reason, have defiled the grace of their natural virtues by the filthy actions of their life.
In his sepulchral prison the savage demon had broken Fetters of iron that bound him; he darts forth and kneels before Jesus. But the Lord sets the man free and orders the devil to madden Herds of the swine and to plunge with them into …
For these thankless men saw, and by means of His miracles handled the wonder-working God, and yet remained in unbelief. They saw a man, blind from his birth, proclaiming to them the God who had restored his sight. They saw a paralytic, who had grown up, as it were, and become one with his infirmity, at His bidding loosed from his disease. They saw Lazarus, who was made an exile from the region of death. They heard that He had walked on the sea.
The Medieval Church2 voices
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 …
And he was bound with chains and shackles. Chains and shackles signify the severe and harsh laws of the Gentiles, by which in their republic sins are also restrained.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
And having broken the bonds, he was driven by the demon into the desert. For having even transgressed those laws, he was led by desire to such crimes as already exceeded common custom.
But this supplication availed him little, for it was not voluntary but coerced; therefore it is added: For he was commanding the unclean spirit to go out from the man, a command which it could not resist, according to that passage of Wisdom 19: "Every …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Note, Those that are ungovernable by any other thereby show that they are under Satan's government; and this is the language of those that are so, even concerning God and Christ, their best friends, that would not either bind them from or bind them to any thing but for their own good: Let us break their bands in sunder.
For he had commanded the unclean spirit..... That had the rest of the devils under his authority, and power, to come out of the man; this he had done, either before, or just as he came up to him; See Gill on Mar 5:
The Nineteenth Century2 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 words behind it
32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| παρήγγειλεν | parengeilen | He was commanding | G3853 → | 31 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεύματι | pneumati | spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκαθάρτῳ | akatharto | unclean | G169 → | 32 times |
| ἐξελθεῖν | exelthein | to come out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπου· | anthropou | man; | G444 → | 549 times |
| πολλοῖς | pollois | Many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| χρόνοις | chronois | times | G5550 → | 53 times |
| συνηρπάκει | sunerpakei | it had seized | G4884 → | |
| αὐτόν, | auton | him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐδεσμεύετο | edesmeueto | he was shackled | G1195 → | |
| ἁλύσεσιν | halusesin | with chains | G254 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πέδαις | pedais | in fetters | G3976 → | |
| φυλασσόμενος, | phulassomenos | being kept, | G5442 → | 31 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| διαρρήσσων | diarresson | breaking | G1284 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δεσμὰ | desma | chains | G1199 → | |
| ἠλαύνετο | elauneto | he was driven | G1643 → | |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δαιμονίου | daimoniou | demon | G1140 → | 61 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐρήμους. | eremous | deserts. | G2048 → | 48 times |
παρήγγειλενHe was commanding
parengeilenG3853 →31 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεύματιspirit
pneumatiG4151 →378 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀκαθάρτῳunclean
akathartoG169 →32 times
ἐξελθεῖνto come out
exeltheinG1831 →216 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπου·man;
anthropouG444 →549 times
πολλοῖςMany
polloisG4183 →367 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
χρόνοιςtimes
chronoisG5550 →53 times
συνηρπάκειit had seized
sunerpakeiG4884 →
αὐτόν,him,
autonG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐδεσμεύετοhe was shackled
edesmeuetoG1195 →
ἁλύσεσινwith chains
halusesinG254 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πέδαιςin fetters
pedaisG3976 →
φυλασσόμενος,being kept,
phulassomenosG5442 →31 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
διαρρήσσωνbreaking
diarressonG1284 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
δεσμὰchains
desmaG1199 →
ἠλαύνετοhe was driven
elaunetoG1643 →
ὑπὸby
hupoG5259 →219 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
δαιμονίουdemon
daimoniouG1140 →61 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἐρήμους.deserts.
eremousG2048 →48 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 9:39A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him.
it leads to
- Mark 9:20
So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 4:35
But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” At this, the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without harming him.
- Mark 9:26
After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”
- Mark 5:4–5
Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him.
- Mark 9:20
Through
Luke 9:42Even while the boy was approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
it leads to
- Mark 9:26–27
After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”
- Luke 7:15
And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.
- Revelation 12:12
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has come down to you, knowing he has only a short…
- 2 Kings 4:36
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her and she came. Then Elisha said, “Pick up your son.”
- Mark 9:26–27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About Luke

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Methodius of Olympus, Methodius Oration on the Psalms and Prudentius, SCENES FROM SACRED HISTORY 36.
