Luke 8 32

Luke 8:32 kjv

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.

Luke 8:32 nkjv

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them.

Luke 8:32 niv

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.

Luke 8:32 esv

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.

Luke 8:32 nlt

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.

Luke 8 verses

Luke 8 32 Meaning

Luke 8:32 describes the critical moment during the healing of the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes/Gadarenes. A large multitude of demons, acknowledging Jesus' supreme authority, pleaded with Him to permit them to enter into a herd of swine that was feeding nearby. In an act demonstrating His absolute sovereignty, Jesus granted their request, allowing the spirits to enter the pigs. This immediate and direct permission by Jesus highlights His dominion over the spiritual realm, even to the extent of directing the activity of evil forces.

Luke 8 32 Context

Luke Chapter 8 portrays Jesus' profound authority over various forces. Prior to this verse, Jesus demonstrates power over nature by calming a furious storm on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:22-25), asserting His divine command over creation. Immediately after crossing to the other side into the country of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes/Gergesenes, depending on manuscript and parallel account), He encounters a man tormented by many demons (Luke 8:26-29), who refers to himself as "Legion" because many demons had entered him. The demons recognize Jesus' identity as the "Son of the Most High God" and fear being tormented before their appointed time. This verse directly follows their pleading with Jesus not to command them to go into the abyss, but to allow them to enter the herd of swine.Historically and culturally, the presence of a large herd of swine indicates that this region, east of the Sea of Galilee, was primarily Gentile. Jewish people considered swine to be ritually unclean animals according to Mosaic Law, thus their raising would have been uncommon among observant Jews. This setting emphasizes that Jesus' ministry and authority extended beyond the boundaries of Jewish Galilee and Judea, reaching into Gentile territories, foreshadowing the expansion of the Gospel message.

Luke 8 32 Word analysis

• And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain:
  • Herd (ἀγέλη - agelē): Specifically refers to a drove of cattle or swine. The existence of a "herd" implies a considerable number, reinforcing the subsequent descriptions.
  • Many (ἱκανός - hikanos): Denotes a "sufficient," "ample," or "considerable" quantity. This wasn't a small number of pigs, but a large collection, setting the stage for the dramatic display of the demons' power when they entered them. Mark's Gospel specifies around two thousand (Mark 5:13), highlighting the vast number of demons collectively identified as "Legion."
  • Swine (χοίρων - choirōn): Pigs. For the original Jewish audience, the mere mention of swine would immediately signal "unclean" animals, forbidden by the Mosaic Law (Lev 11:7). Their presence indicates a Gentile area or people who did not adhere to Jewish dietary laws, setting the stage for a dramatic contrast and demonstrating Jesus' authority even in non-Jewish contexts.
  • Feeding (βοσκομένη - boskoménē): The active participle implies the pigs were currently, habitually grazing, indicating a normal scene before the supernatural disruption.
  • On the mountain (ὄρους - orous): Refers to a hill or elevated land. This detail provides a setting for the herd and perhaps for the dramatic plunge into the lake later (as seen in parallel accounts), emphasizing the severity of the demonic exit.
• And they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them:
  • They (αὐτοί - autoi): Refers to the collective of demons ("Legion") from the man. Despite their evil nature, they communicate, showing an awareness of Jesus' power and an understanding of their impending judgment.
  • Besought (παρεκάλουν - parekaloun): An imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing or repeated pleading, suggesting desperation or persistence in their request to Jesus. They didn't simply state a desire; they implored Him.
  • Him (αὐτόν - auton): Jesus. This demonstrates the demons' recognition of Jesus' absolute authority over them. They cannot act independently; they must gain permission from Him, confirming His divine control over even evil forces.
  • Suffer (ἐπιτρέψῃ - epitrépsē): To permit, allow, give leave. This word is crucial. It reveals that the demons were not in control; they needed explicit permission from Jesus for their next move. Their destiny was entirely subject to His will. This shows His power even over the domain of evil.
  • To enter into them: Refers to the demons' desire to inhabit the bodies of the swine. Demons are described elsewhere as preferring a physical dwelling to a state of wandering or disembodiment (Matt 12:43-45). The request to enter the unclean animals can also be seen as an act of defiance, choosing ritually unclean hosts, or as a last desperate act to inflict economic damage and maintain some form of manifestation before being cast out of the man.
• And he suffered them:
  • He suffered (ἐπέτρεψεν - epetrepsen): This direct statement unequivocally confirms that Jesus granted the demons' request. It is an act of sovereign permission. It is not an act of weakness or compulsion, but rather an exercise of His complete power and authority over the spirit realm. His permission served multiple purposes: to visibly prove the demons' expulsion from the man, to illustrate the destructive power of the demonic realm, and perhaps to serve as a parabolic judgment on the uncleanness and disregard for God's Law in the region, particularly the raising of unclean animals.

Luke 8 32 Bonus section

The request by the demons to enter the swine and Jesus' permission provide critical insights into the nature of spiritual warfare and Christ's supreme dominion. The demons preferred even unclean animals to the 'abyss' or 'torment' that they feared Jesus might send them to (Luke 8:31, Rev 20:3). This highlights their innate desire to inhabit and control, even if only in a limited, temporary sense. The economic devastation caused by the destruction of the herd was not arbitrary; it served as a clear, tangible manifestation of the magnitude of evil expelled and perhaps demonstrated the incompatibility of the kingdom of God with practices or presences that were intrinsically defiling or resistant to God's holiness. The narrative starkly contrasts the value Jesus places on a single human soul over material wealth, as the healed man becomes a witness for Christ while the villagers prioritize their economic loss, prompting them to ask Jesus to leave. This account uniquely showcases Jesus not just commanding demons, but directing their immediate destiny within a specific framework.

Luke 8 32 Commentary

Luke 8:32 presents a profound insight into Jesus' unparalleled authority and the nature of the spiritual realm. The passage emphasizes that even a multitude of powerful demons cannot act without the explicit permission of Jesus Christ. Their desperate pleading ("besought him") reveals their utter subjugation to His command. Jesus' immediate grant of permission ("he suffered them") is not a sign of His yielding to their will but a demonstration of His sovereign control. He could have simply cast them into the abyss, as they feared, but instead, He allowed them a temporary dwelling in the pigs. This served as undeniable, visual proof to the local inhabitants that the man had truly been freed from the "Legion." Furthermore, the subsequent destruction of the herd of swine, by rushing into the lake, vividly portrayed the destructive, chaotic nature of the demonic forces and implied the complete expulsion and perhaps a symbolic judgment upon the region's spiritual uncleanness associated with the unclean animals. The miracle signifies that Jesus has dominion not only over physical ailments and natural forces but also over the most malevolent spiritual entities.