Mark 5 19

Mark 5:19 kjv

Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Mark 5:19 nkjv

However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."

Mark 5:19 niv

Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

Mark 5:19 esv

And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

Mark 5:19 nlt

But Jesus said, "No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been."

Mark 5 verses

Mark 5 19 Meaning

In Mark 5:19, Jesus prohibits a formerly demon-possessed man from following Him as a close disciple, instead commanding him to return to his family and friends. The instruction is to proclaim the great works and compassionate mercy that the Lord, God the Father, has sovereignly performed in his life. This command emphasizes the power of personal testimony and establishes the man as a missionary to his own community, particularly in Gentile territory.

Mark 5 19 Context

Mark 5:19 follows immediately after the extraordinary healing of the Gerasene (or Gadarene) demoniac. This man had been grievously afflicted by a "Legion" of demons, rendering him uncontrollable and living among the tombs. After his deliverance, he was found clothed and in his right mind. Overwhelmed with gratitude and a desire to remain with his deliverer, the man earnestly begged Jesus to let him accompany Him. Jesus' direct refusal and subsequent command to "Go home" contrasts sharply with His typical calls to discipleship. This unique directive is understood in light of the surrounding circumstances: Jesus was operating in Decapolis, a largely Gentile region. While Jesus often commanded silence about His identity or miracles in Jewish areas to manage public expectations of a political Messiah (the "Messianic Secret"), here in non-Jewish territory, the instruction is to openly proclaim God's mighty work. The man's transformed life served as an unparalleled testament in a place where Jewish Messiahship held less direct significance but the power of the one true God could be powerfully displayed.

Mark 5 19 Word analysis

• However (Grk: ἀλλὰ, alla): A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a contrast or a change of direction from the preceding thought. Here, it marks Jesus' decision as contrary to the man's request to follow Him.
• Jesus did not permit him (Grk: οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτόν, ouk aphēken auton): The negative particle ouk emphatically negates aphēken, "to let go" or "to permit." This highlights Jesus' sovereign decision, denying the man's fervent desire. It underscores that Jesus' call to discipleship is deliberate and not given to all who ask, even if sincere.
• but said to him (Grk: ἀλλὰ λέγει αὐτῷ, alla legei autō): Again, the strong adversative alla signals a direct, contrasting instruction from Jesus. He actively provides an alternative assignment.
• “Go home (Grk: Ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, Hypage eis ton oikon sou): Hypage is an imperative verb meaning "go away," or "depart." Oikon sou refers specifically to his house or household. This command emphasizes the importance of immediate, localized testimony. Unlike the twelve apostles who were called to leave their homes and follow Jesus itinerantly, this man's ministry was to begin in his intimate sphere. His transformation was to be evident first to those who knew him best.
• to your friends (Grk: πρὸς τοὺς σούς, pros tous sous): Literally "to your own" or "to those of your household/kindred." This broader term includes his family members, relatives, and close acquaintances. This designates his primary mission field—his immediate relational network where his previous condition was well known.
• and tell them (Grk: ἀπάγγειλον αὐτοῖς, apangeilon autois): Apangeilon is an imperative, meaning "report," "announce," or "declare fully." It's not a suggestion but a clear directive to make a proclamation. His testimony was to be an open declaration, not a private whisper.
• what great things (Grk: ὅσα, hosa): Translates as "how many things," or "what kind of things," often implying magnitude. It refers to the impressive and complete nature of his healing and deliverance. This echoes Old Testament praises for God's mighty acts (e.g., Ps 126:2). It directs the man to focus on the scale of God's power and mercy.
• the Lord has done for you (Grk: ὁ Κύριος πεποίηκέν σοι, ho Kyrios pepoieken soi): Ho Kyrios, "the Lord," here refers specifically to God the Father. While Jesus Himself performed the exorcism, He directs the man's testimony to the ultimate source of power and authority, emphasizing the Father's work through Him. This ensures that glory is given to God. Pepoieken is the perfect active indicative, signifying a completed action with ongoing effects – a permanent transformation.
• and how He has had compassion on you (Grk: καὶ ἠλέησέν σε, kai ēleēsen se): Ēleēsen is from eleeō, meaning "to have pity," "to show mercy," "to show kindness to." It underscores that God's great work was not merely an act of power but also an act of profound divine love and pity. The transformation was an outflow of God's gracious character. It frames the deliverance not as a detached miracle, but as an act born of profound empathy for his suffering.

Mark 5 19 Bonus section

• Strategic Mission: This verse highlights a unique aspect of Jesus' ministry strategy. Unlike His Jewish Galilean ministry where the "Messianic Secret" was often observed, here in Gentile Decapolis, open proclamation of God's work was encouraged. The formerly demon-possessed man's radical transformation was the most potent missionary tool for a non-Jewish audience.
• Every Believer a Witness: The account emphasizes that every person touched by God's grace has a unique and powerful testimony to share. This man, not a trained disciple or an apostle, was immediately commissioned to be a messenger, illustrating that God uses ordinary people in their ordinary contexts for extraordinary Kingdom purposes.
• The Power of Lived Experience: The command to "tell them what great things the Lord has done" signifies that personal experience with God's power and compassion forms a credible and compelling testimony. His previous condition was so well-known that his transformation was irrefutable evidence of divine intervention.

Mark 5 19 Commentary

Mark 5:19 reveals a profound principle of Christian witness: the power of personal testimony rooted in God's grace. Jesus' decision not to permit the man to follow Him was not a rejection but a strategic assignment. By sending him "home," Jesus affirmed that the primary mission field for many begins within their natural spheres of influence—family, friends, and local community. In the Gentile region of Decapolis, where direct proclamation of Jesus as Messiah might have caused misunderstanding or political unrest, the powerful testimony of God's redemptive work was universally accessible and effective. The command to recount "what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you" directs the man, and implicitly all believers, to humbly attribute their deliverance and blessing entirely to God's mighty power and merciful love. His transformed life was the evidence, and his words were the proclamation. This man became Jesus' unintentional, yet powerful, "apostle" to the Gentiles, preparing the way for future Gentile ministry through the powerful demonstration of God's loving power in his life.

• Example: A person delivered from addiction can most effectively minister by sharing their testimony with former friends and family who witnessed their prior struggles.
• Example: Someone experiencing profound healing or spiritual transformation is called to bear witness to God's hand in their lives within their immediate circle.