Luke 8:33 kjv
Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
Luke 8:33 nkjv
Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
Luke 8:33 niv
When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
Luke 8:33 esv
Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
Luke 8:33 nlt
Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
Luke 8 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 5:13 | And he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand... | Jesus' permission & the destructive nature of demons. |
| Mt 8:32 | So he said to them, “Go.” And they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned. | Parallel account of the same event. |
| Lk 4:36 | And amazement came upon all, and they spoke to one another, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits... | Jesus' authority over demons demonstrated. |
| Mk 1:27 | They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits... | Christ's unique authoritative power. |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. | Christ's victory over spiritual powers. |
| Eph 1:20-22 | ...raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand...far above all rule and authority and power and dominion... | God's supreme authority, delegated to Christ, over evil. |
| Mt 12:43-45 | When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest but finds none... | Demons' need for physical habitation. |
| Lk 11:24-26 | ...goes out and finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. | Demons seeking a place to reside. |
| Lk 8:31 | And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. | Demons' fear of ultimate judgment (the Abyss). |
| Jas 2:19 | You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! | Demons' knowledge and fear of God. |
| Rev 20:1-3 | Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven...He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him... | Future binding and judgment of Satan and demons. |
| Rev 18:21 | Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down..." | Symbolic destruction in water; ultimate demise. |
| Ps 74:13 | You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. | God's power over chaos (often represented by sea). |
| Ex 14:27-28 | The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen...not one of them remained. | Destruction of enemies by water. |
| Lk 8:24-25 | He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they subsided, and all was calm... | Jesus' power over creation (earlier in Lk 8). |
| Lev 11:7 | And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. | Pigs as ceremonially unclean animals. |
| Deut 14:8 | And the pig is unclean to you, for though it has divided hoofs, it does not chew the cud. You shall not eat their flesh or touch their carcasses. | Reinforcement of pig's ceremonial impurity. |
| Acts 10:9-16 | ...and there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." | Dietary laws and Gentile inclusion (though pigs are specifically unclean). |
| Mk 5:14-16 | The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country... | Local reaction and the socio-economic impact. |
| Job 1:10-12 | Have you not put a hedge around him...But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has...And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” | Demons' actions are under God's permissive will. |
| Jn 10:10 | The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. | The inherently destructive nature of evil spirits. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Death as the ultimate consequence of evil. |
Luke 8 verses
Luke 8 33 Meaning
Luke 8:33 describes the immediate consequence of Jesus' command to the legion of demons to depart from the possessed man. The passage reveals that the demons, having been cast out, entered a large herd of pigs. Subsequently, the entire herd, under the influence of these spirits, rushed headlong down a steep bank into the Sea of Galilee and perished in the waters, signifying the complete destruction of the demons' earthly manifestation in this specific context. This act underscores Jesus' ultimate authority over evil spirits and the destructive nature of the demonic realm.
Luke 8 33 Context
Luke 8:33 is part of the account of Jesus' healing of the Gerasene demoniac (Lk 8:26-39). Prior to this, Jesus had just demonstrated His authority over nature by calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Upon arriving in the region of the Gerasenes (a predominantly Gentile area, evidenced by the presence of pigs, which were forbidden under Jewish dietary law), Jesus was immediately confronted by a man possessed by a legion of demons. This man lived among tombs and could not be bound, demonstrating the immense power of the spirits afflicting him. The demons recognized Jesus as the "Son of the Most High God" and feared Him, begging Him not to cast them into the abyss. They instead pleaded to be sent into a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus granted their request, and the events of Luke 8:33 immediately followed, showcasing not only Jesus' compassionate deliverance of the man but also His complete dominion over spiritual evil and its destructive tendencies, culminating in the herd's self-destruction in the lake. The chapter then shifts to the reaction of the townspeople, their fear, and Jesus' command for the delivered man to testify.
Luke 8 33 Word analysis
Then the demons came out of the man:
- Then: Kai (καὶ). A simple conjunction, indicating sequential action. The release was immediate upon Jesus' command.
- demons: daimonia (δαιμόνια). Refers to malevolent, spiritual beings opposed to God. These entities sought to inhabit and control. Their departure was a direct result of Jesus' authority.
- came out: exelthon (ἐξῆλθον). Aorist active indicative, implying a decisive, completed action. It was a direct expulsion, not a voluntary exit. Their departure was not their choice, but Christ's will.
- of the man: The man was freed from bondage and torment, emphasizing Jesus' power to deliver.
and entered the pigs:
- entered: eiselthon (εἰσῆλθον). Again, an aorist active indicative, showing the definitive act of transfer. This entry was only possible because Jesus gave permission (as per parallel accounts). Demons cannot act without God's permissive will.
- the pigs: choirous (χοίρους). A large herd, estimated at 2000 in Mk 5:13. Pigs were unclean animals to Jews (Lev 11:7), reinforcing the Gentile context of the region (Gergesenes/Gerasenes/Gadarenes). Their selection highlights the demons' destructive nature and willingness to inhabit any host rather than face the abyss.
and the herd rushed down the steep bank:
- the herd: agelen (ἀγέλην). Refers to the entire group of pigs, indicating a widespread effect of the demonic presence.
- rushed down: hormesen (ὥρμησεν). Implying a sudden, violent, headlong charge. The demons' influence leads to chaotic, self-destructive behavior. This is not a normal action for a herd of animals, underscoring the unnatural compulsion by the demons.
- the steep bank: kremlou (κρημνοῦ). Denotes a precipitous place, a sheer cliff or bluff. This highlights the immediacy and finality of the pigs' demise; there was no possibility of stopping.
into the lake and drowned:
- into the lake: limnen (λίμνην). Refers to the Sea of Galilee. This water body, though associated with sustenance and life, here becomes the agent of destruction.
- drowned: apenixanto (ἀπεπνίγησαν). Means "were choked," "suffocated," or "drowned." A final and irreversible end to the animals. This complete destruction symbolizes the eradication of the demons' physical presence and influence in that immediate locale, signifying Christ's definitive victory over them.
Luke 8 33 Bonus section
The incident underscores the cost of spiritual warfare. While the man was delivered, the townspeople suffered significant economic loss, which ultimately contributed to their request for Jesus to leave the region (Lk 8:37). This serves as a reminder that divine intervention, while bringing deliverance, may sometimes come with immediate, tangible consequences that challenge human comfort or material attachments. Furthermore, the event powerfully illustrates the destination of evil spirits: they abhor the Abyss (Lk 8:31) and desperately seek a physical host, but their destructive nature ultimately leads them to ruin, hinting at their final, inescapable judgment. This specific event in Luke also serves as an affirmation that true authority over nature and evil ultimately belongs to Christ, unlike any pagan deities or magic prevalent in the historical context.
Luke 8 33 Commentary
Luke 8:33 is a vivid display of Jesus' unassailable authority over the demonic realm. Far from being a random act, the passage systematically reveals several profound truths. First, the demons' departure from the man and entry into the pigs, though requested by them, was wholly dependent on Jesus' permission. This powerfully establishes Christ's sovereign control; evil cannot act outside of divine allowance. Second, the pigs' immediate and catastrophic rush to self-destruction vividly illustrates the inherently destructive nature of the demonic. Their goal is not just habitation, but ruin, chaos, and death. There is no positive or benign interaction with demonic powers; their presence inherently leads to disaster. Third, the total annihilation of the herd in the lake signifies a complete and decisive victory over the demons' physical manifestation in this incident. It highlights the thoroughness of God's deliverance and judgment over spiritual evil. This event not only freed a tormented man but dramatically removed a profound demonic stronghold from a specific location, demonstrating Jesus' power to bring comprehensive restoration.