When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Luke highlights the man's utter loss of human dignity—no clothes, no home, only tombs—to underscore the devastating power of the demonic. This isn't just about being troubled; it's about being reduced to a state of dehumanization, far beyond typical mental illness.
When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh off the boat after calming a fierce storm, Jesus and His disciples encounter a man who is utterly tormented and outcast due to a long-standing demonic possession. This man lives in isolation, not in a house, but among tombs, and is known for his nakedness and wildness. This intense, disturbing scene immediately follows Jesus' display of authority over nature and sets the stage for His power over the spiritual realm.
Imagine a person so lost to despair that they live among the dead. This man wasn't just isolated; he was a visible symbol of the deepest human suffering.
This man's condition paints a stark picture:
Utter Rejection
He lived among the tombs, a place associated with death and impurity. This wasn't just a preference; it was a sign of his complete alienation from society and even from basic human dignity.
Loss of Self
His state – wearing no clothes, living outside of any dwelling – shows a total breakdown of normal life. He had lost the fundamental structures and comforts that define human existence, driven by the powerful grip of the forces controlling him.
A Living Nightmare
His long-term suffering, described as 'for a long time,' emphasizes the relentless and pervasive nature of his torment. This wasn't a fleeting issue but a deep-seated, enduring agony.
When Jesus arrives, this brokenness encounters a force capable of bringing restoration. But what is it about Jesus that contrasts so sharply with this despair?
The arrival of Jesus marks a radical shift in this man's reality.
Divine Authority
Jesus, by simply stepping onto the shore, confronts the domain of darkness. His presence alone is a disruptive force to the powers that held the man captive. The 'devils' recognized His authority immediately.
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The Name that Frees
While this specific verse focuses on the man's condition, the fuller accounts show the demons begging Jesus not to torment them and later revealing their name as 'Legion.' This highlights that Jesus commands even the fiercest spiritual forces through His divine identity and authority.
Restoration Begins
Jesus' encounter here is the first step toward complete restoration. He doesn't just subdue the demons; He begins the process of bringing the man back to himself, to sanity, and to a place where he can live among people again.
Understand the original words
daimonion · Greek Noun
A supernatural, malevolent spiritual being subordinate to Satan that opposes God and seeks to corrupt, possess, or afflict human beings. They are fallen angels who rebelled against God.
c. 1st century AD
Roman Rule in Judea
The region was under Roman control, influencing local governance, taxation, and social order. This context meant that events like severe mental illness might have been viewed through a lens of societal disruption rather than solely religious or spiritual terms.
c. 1st century AD
Jewish Beliefs about Demons
Jewish tradition, influenced by various interpretations of scripture and potentially other cultural ideas, held beliefs about spiritual entities causing affliction. These 'devils' or 'demons' were sometimes understood as spirits of deceased wicked individuals.
c. 1st century AD— this verse
The Gerasene Demoniac Encounter
Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee and encountered a man intensely afflicted by a multitude of demons. This man lived a life of extreme isolation, nakedness, and self-harm among tombs, showcasing the devastating impact of demonic possession.
c. 1st century AD
Jesus' Exorcism of Legion
In a powerful display of authority, Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man, addressing them as 'Legion' due to their vast numbers. The demons were then permitted to enter a herd of pigs, which subsequently rushed into the sea and drowned.
c. 1st century AD
Local Reaction to the Miracle
The people of the region, who came to see the healed man clothed and in his right mind, were overcome with fear. Instead of rejoicing, they asked Jesus to leave their district, perhaps due to the economic impact of the lost pigs or a general apprehension towards such supernatural events.
This passage provides a parallel account of Jesus encountering the same demon-possessed man (or men, as Matthew notes), emphasizing the man's isolation and the power of Jesus over the demonic forces.
Matthew 8:28-34Matthew's Gospel also records this event, highlighting the extreme violence and unnatural living conditions of the demon-possessed man, underscoring the severity of his affliction before Jesus' intervention.
Isaiah 14:16-17This prophecy speaks of a king's downfall and compares him to a madman in a graveyard, reflecting the desolate and out-of-control state that demonic possession could induce, similar to the man in Luke 8.
1 Samuel 16:14-16This passage describes King Saul being tormented by an evil spirit, causing him distress and erratic behavior, which offers a biblical precedent for how spiritual affliction could manifest in a person's life.
Romans 8:38-39Paul's declaration that nothing can separate us from God's love serves as a powerful contrast to the complete alienation and despair the demon-possessed man experienced, showing the ultimate security found in Christ.
gillLuke 8:27: "And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."
And when he went forth to land,.... The Persic and Ethiopic versions read, when they went forth to land; when Christ and his disciples came out of the ship, and went ashore: there met him out of the city a certain man; or rather, there met him a certain man of the city; that is, one that belonged to, and was an i…
pulpitLuke 8:27: "And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."
Verse 27. - There met him out of the city a certain man; better rendered, there met him a man of the city. He had been a dweller in Gergesa in old days before the terrible possession began. St. Matthew, in his account, tells us of two demoniacs. SS, Mark and Luke, however, both only mention one, the other for som…
Luke highlights the man's utter loss of human dignity—no clothes, no home, only tombs—to underscore the devastating power of the demonic. This isn't just about being troubled; it's about being reduced to a state of dehumanization, far beyond typical mental illness.
Fresh off the boat after calming a fierce storm, Jesus and His disciples encounter a man who is utterly tormented and outcast due to a long-standing demonic possession. This man lives in isolation, not in a house, but among tombs, and is known for his nakedness and wildness. This intense, disturbing scene immediately follows Jesus' display of authority over nature and sets the stage for His power over the spiritual realm.
Fresh off the boat after calming a fierce storm, Jesus and His disciples encounter a man who is utterly tormented and outcast due to a long-standing demonic possession. This man lives in isolation, not in a house, but among tombs, and is known for his nakedness and wildness. This intense, disturbing scene immediately follows Jesus' display of authority over nature and sets the stage for His power over the spiritual realm.
"When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs." — Luke highlights the man's utter loss of human dignity—no clothes, no home, only tombs—to underscore the devastating power of the demonic. This isn't just about being troubled; it's about being reduce…
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Last reviewed October 2026