Mark 5:1-20
The apostle Mark writing (God speaking via scripture...The Word) to the believers in Rome about the healing of the demon-possessed man and his conversion to being a Jesus believer essentially against his very will!

NIV Bible 1973-78: 1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" 8For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"
9Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
10"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." 13He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well. 17Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
 

Wycliffe Bible of 1384: 1And thei camen ouer the see in to the cuntree of Gerasenes.
2And aftir that he was goon out of the boot, anoon a man in an vncleene spirit ran out of birielis to hym.
3Which man hadde an hous in biriels, and nether with cheynes now myyte ony man bynde hym.
4 For ofte tymes he was boundun in stockis and chaynes, and he hadde broke the chaynes, and hadde broke the stockis to smale gobetis, and no man myyte make hym tame.
5 And euermore, nyyt and dai, in birielis and in hillis, he was criynge and betynge hym silf with stoonus.
6 And he siy Jhesus afer, and ran, and worschipide hym.
7 And he criede with greet voice, and seide, What to me and to thee, thou Jhesu, the sone of the hiyest God? Y coniure thee bi God, that thou turmente me not.
8 And Jhesus seide to hym, Thou vnclene spirit, go out fro the man.
9 And Jhesus axide hym, What is thi name? And he seith to hym, A legioun is my name; for we ben many.
10 And he preiede Jhesu myche, that he schulde not putte hym out of the cuntrei.
11 And there was there aboute the hille a greet flok of swyn lesewynge.
12 And the spiritis preieden Jhesu, and seiden, Sende vs into the swyn, that we entre in to hem.
13 And anoon Jhesus grauntide to hem. And the vnclene spiritis yeden out, and entriden in to the swyn, and with a greet birre the flocke was cast doun in to the see, a twei thousynde, and thei weren dreynt in the see.
14 And thei that kepten hem, fledden, and tolden in to the citee, and in to the feeldis; and thei wenten out, to se what was don.
15 And thei camen to Jhesu, and sayn hym that hadde be trauelid of the feend, syttynge clothid, and of hool mynde; and thei dredden.
16 And thei that saien, hou it was don to hym that hadde a feend, and of the swyne, telden to hem.
17 And thei bigunnen to preie hym, that he schulde go a wei fro her coostis.
18 And whanne he yede up in to a boot, he that was trauelid of the deuel, bigan to preie hym, that he schulde be with hym.
19 But Jhesus resseyuede hym not, but seide to hym, Go thou in to thin hous to thine, and telle to hem, hou grete thingis the Lord hath don to thee, and hadde merci of thee.
20 And he wente forth, and bigan to preche in Decapoli, hou grete thingis Jhesus hadde don to hym; and alle men wondriden.

King James Bible of 1611:1   And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2   And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3   Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4   Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5   And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6   But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7   And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8   For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9   And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10   And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11   Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12   And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13   And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14   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.
15   And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16   And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17   And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18   And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19   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.
20   And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

NAS Bible of 1960: 1They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.
When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him,
3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain;
4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.
5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.
6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him;
7and shouting with a loud voice, he said, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!"
8For He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"
9And He was asking him, "What is your name?" And he said to Him, "My name is Legion; for we are many."
10And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.
11Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain.
12The demons implored Him, saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them."
13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.
14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened.
15They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the "legion"; and they became frightened.
16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.
17And they began to implore Him to leave their region.
18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him.
19And He did not let him, but He said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you."
20And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

(posted 3 January 2004)

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