Mark 5 14

Mark 5:14 kjv

And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

Mark 5:14 nkjv

So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened.

Mark 5:14 niv

Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

Mark 5:14 esv

The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.

Mark 5:14 nlt

The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened.

Mark 5 verses

Mark 5 14 Meaning

This verse captures the immediate, intense reaction of the swineherds who witnessed the miraculous expulsion of a "Legion" of demons from a man and their subsequent entry into a large herd of pigs, leading to the herd's destruction in the sea. Their actions—fleeing in terror and then spreading the news widely throughout the city and surrounding countryside—reveal the profound shock, fear, and desire to disseminate what they had witnessed. This dissemination prompts the local population to come out and investigate the unprecedented, dramatic event that had unfolded, thereby drawing them into direct confrontation with the disruptive power of Christ's miracle and its economic implications for their region.

Mark 5 14 Context

Mark 5:14 occurs immediately after Jesus casts a "Legion" of demons out of a man into a herd of about 2,000 pigs, causing them to rush down a steep bank into the Sea of Galilee and drown. Before this, Jesus had just demonstrated His authority over nature by calming a furious storm (Mk 4:35-41), underscoring His sovereignty over all creation. Upon landing in the region of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes/Gergesenes, a Hellenized area within the Decapolis), His first encounter is with this profoundly demon-possessed man, demonstrating His ultimate power over the demonic realm.

The setting in a Gentile region, characterized by large-scale pig farming, is significant because pigs were considered unclean by Jewish law (Lev 11:7, Deut 14:8). The immediate, massive economic loss of 2,000 pigs directly impacts the livelihood of the herdsmen and the wealth of the community. This material disruption, alongside the awe and terror of the supernatural event, profoundly influences the local inhabitants' response, as depicted in Mark 5:14, and subsequent interactions with Jesus. The herdsmen's actions of fleeing and reporting signal the widespread impact of this profound and unsettling miracle.

Mark 5 14 Word analysis

• "And" (καὶ - kai): This conjunction serves to connect the consequence of the miraculous event (demons entering pigs, pigs drowning) to the immediate actions of those directly affected, indicating a logical progression in the narrative.

• "those who fed" (οἱ βόσκοντες - hoi boskontes): This Greek present active participle describes the "feeders" or "swineherds." It identifies them as the direct, active participants and eyewitnesses whose profession revolved around caring for the pigs, making their reaction particularly poignant.

• "the pigs" (τοὺς χοίρους - tous choirous): Explicitly states the animals under their charge and the focus of the catastrophe. In a Hellenized region, pig farming was common, contrasting sharply with Jewish dietary laws regarding pigs as unclean.

• "fled" (ἔφυγον - ephygon): This Greek aorist active indicative verb signifies a decisive, immediate action. It conveys terror, urgency, and a primal instinct for self-preservation in the face of an overwhelming and terrifying supernatural event. They did not attempt to salvage the pigs; their flight demonstrates abandonment of their duties driven by extreme fear.

• "and told" (καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν - kai apēggeilan): Another Greek aorist active indicative verb. This indicates not merely an escape but an active dissemination of the information. The herdsmen immediately became urgent messengers, reporting the astonishing events they had witnessed, thereby making the private miracle a public spectacle.

• "it" (implied): Refers to the entire, unbelievable event of the exorcism and the destruction of the herd.

• "in the city" (εἰς τὴν πόλιν - eis tēn polin): Refers to the nearest urban center (likely Gerasa/Gadara), implying a large and concentrated population.

• "and in the country" (καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀγρούς - kai eis tous agrous): This phrase extends the scope of their reporting to the broader rural and agricultural areas surrounding the city. The combined phrases emphasize the complete and rapid dissemination of the news throughout the entire region, ensuring widespread awareness.

• "And they went out" (καὶ ἐξῆλθον - kai exēlthon): This signifies a new collective action, demonstrating the immediate curiosity and alarm among the people who heard the swineherds' reports. They actively sought to confirm the astonishing news.

• "to see" (ἰδεῖν - idein): This aorist active infinitive expresses the purpose of their departure: to visually verify what had transpired. Their desire was for empirical evidence, reflecting the human need to process extraordinary events.

• "what it was that had happened" (τί ἐστιν τὸ γεγονός - ti estin to gegonos): This phrase conveys their attempt to grasp the full extent and nature of the occurrence. "gegonos" (had happened/became) is a perfect participle, indicating a completed action with enduring consequences, highlighting the shocking reality of the event that unfolded.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And those who fed the pigs fled": This phrase directly establishes the primary witnesses and their immediate, visceral reaction to Jesus' power. The sight of 2,000 pigs possessed by demons and then drowning caused profound terror and disruption to their livelihood, leading them to prioritize personal safety over property. It emphasizes the raw, overwhelming nature of Christ's authority in the face of demonic activity.
  • "and told it in the city and in the country": This section highlights the public ripple effect of Jesus' miracle. The panicked herdsmen acted as immediate, if reluctant, heralds. Their widespread reporting ensures that the dramatic intervention of Jesus in the spiritual and natural order quickly became public knowledge, spreading alarm and curiosity throughout the entire community, preparing for a collective response.
  • "And they went out to see what it was that had happened": This portrays the widespread human response to extraordinary and frightening news. The community, stirred by the urgent reports, actively sought verification. This phrase signifies a critical shift from mere hearsay to a direct, collective confrontation with the visible aftermath of Christ's unparalleled power over evil, setting the stage for their personal encounter with Jesus and the restored demoniac.

Mark 5 14 Bonus section

• The fact that pigs were involved and destroyed illustrates the magnitude and destructiveness of the demonic presence. A "Legion" signifies not just a few demons but a vast, organized spiritual army, demanding a comparably massive "container" and resulting in proportionate destruction.
• The incident starkly contrasts spiritual freedom (the man healed) with material loss (the pigs drowned), indirectly prompting the audience to consider what truly holds value. Jesus values the soul above all possessions.
• The flight of the swineherds and the subsequent desire of the people "to see" reveal typical human reactions when faced with phenomena that defy their understanding and threaten their comfort zone, whether material or existential. This response is a consistent pattern in encounters with divine power in the Bible.
• The account highlights Jesus' ministry reaching out to Gentiles or Jews in Gentile lands, breaking cultural and religious barriers through His authoritative power over evil.

Mark 5 14 Commentary

Mark 5:14 succinctly captures the immediate, chain reaction to Jesus' extraordinary power over demons and its devastating economic consequence. The swineherds, directly witnessing the miraculous and terrifying event of the "Legion" entering the pigs, instinctively reacted with abject fear, choosing self-preservation over their livelihood. Their subsequent decision to "tell it in the city and in the country" was crucial, as it instantly transformed a private exorcism into a publicly known event. This act of reporting was not just to inform but to convey the sheer scale and unsettling nature of what occurred, igniting fear and curiosity among the local populace. The people's subsequent movement "to see what it was that had happened" reflects a natural human desire for empirical verification when confronted with news beyond ordinary comprehension. This mass movement leads them directly to Jesus and the now-sane man, confronting them not just with a supernatural occurrence but with the One who could wield such immense, disruptive power, leading to a profound choice for the community (as seen in later verses, Mk 5:17).