And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The demons don't just fear being cast out; they dread being sent into the "abyss," a place of confinement and torment. This reveals their awareness of a deeper, more terrifying judgment beyond their current power to cause chaos, a place where their freedom to inflict suffering would be utterly lost.
And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just moments before, Jesus had delivered a man from a legion of demons, a terrifying spectacle that even caused the demons themselves to dread their final judgment. In their desperate plea, these evil spirits beg Jesus not to cast them into the abyss, a horrifying place of confinement for them, revealing their fear of utter powerlessness and eternal torment.
When Jesus encountered a legion of demons, they pleaded not to be sent into the 'deep.' But what exactly is this 'deep' they feared so intensely?
The demons' plea in Luke 8:31 reveals their terror of the 'abyss.' This isn't referring to the waters of the Sea of Galilee, but a place of confinement for evil spirits.
These powerful demons, who had wreaked havoc through a man, immediately recognized Jesus' authority. What does this recognition reveal about His power?
The demons' desperate plea highlights Jesus' supreme authority, not just over humanity, but over the spiritual realm and even the place of their ultimate judgment.
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Understand the original words
abyssos · Greek Noun
A term referring to the lower regions of the earth or the underworld, specifically understood in this context as the place of imprisonment and punishment for fallen angels (demons) awaiting final judgment.
Iēsous · Greek Proper Noun
The unique, God-man Savior of the world who possesses divine authority over the physical, spiritual, and supernatural realms, including the power to command and cast out demonic entities.
The demons' fear of the abyss reveals their awareness of a final judgment and a place of ultimate torment, even as they sought temporary refuge in destructive power.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus travels around the Sea of Galilee, teaching and performing miracles, gathering disciples and followers.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus Crosses to Gentile Territory
Jesus deliberately travels across the Sea of Galilee into the region of the Gadarenes, an area primarily populated by non-Jews.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Encounter with the Legion of Demons
Jesus encounters a man (or two men, in Matthew's account) deeply afflicted by a multitude of demons, known as 'Legion'.
Early 1st century AD
Demons Beg for the Abyss
The demons, facing expulsion by Jesus, plead not to be sent into the 'abyss' (a place of torment or confinement for evil spirits).
Early 1st century AD
Demons Enter the Swine
Jesus permits the demons to enter a nearby herd of pigs, which then rush into the sea and drown.
Early 1st century AD
Gadarene Request for Jesus to Leave
The owners and residents of the area, terrified by the loss of their livestock and the power displayed, ask Jesus to depart.
This passage directly references the 'abyss' or 'bottomless pit' as a place of confinement for fallen angels, connecting to the demons' fear in Luke 8:31.
2 Peter 2:4It speaks of God casting angels who sinned into hell, using chains of gloom to be kept until judgment, mirroring the demons' dread of being sent to a place of punishment.
Matthew 8:29This parallel account shows the demons asking Jesus not to torment them, echoing the fear of a dreaded fate that underlies their plea in Luke 8:31.
Jude 1:6This verse describes angels who left their proper dwelling being kept in eternal chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day, which aligns with the demons' fear of the abyss.
pulpitLuke 8:31: "And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep."
Verse 31. - And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. This time the voice and the request apparently proceed from the terrible presence which had made the soul of the unhappy man their temporary habitation. The direful confusion in the state of the poor demoniac is shown by this request. By whom was it made? The bystanders could discern no difference between the possess…
ellicottLuke 8:31: "And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep."
(31) To go out into the deep. —Better, into the abyss. The word is not found in the other Gospels, and it clearly means, not the deep waters of the Galilean lake, but the pit, the “bottomless pit” of Revelation 9:1-2 ; Revelation 9:11 . The man, identifying himself with the demons, asks for any doom rather than that.
The demons don't just fear being cast out; they dread being sent into the "abyss," a place of confinement and torment. This reveals their awareness of a deeper, more terrifying judgment beyond their current power to cause chaos, a place where their freedom to inflict suffering would be utterly lost.
Just moments before, Jesus had delivered a man from a legion of demons, a terrifying spectacle that even caused the demons themselves to dread their final judgment. In their desperate plea, these evil spirits beg Jesus not to cast them into the abyss, a horrifying place of confinement for them, revealing their fear of utter powerlessness and eternal torment.
Just moments before, Jesus had delivered a man from a legion of demons, a terrifying spectacle that even caused the demons themselves to dread their final judgment. In their desperate plea, these evil spirits beg Jesus not to cast them into the abyss, a horrifying place of confinement for them, revealing their fear of utter powerlessness and eternal torment.
"And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss." — The demons don't just fear being cast out; they dread being sent into the "abyss," a place of confinement and torment. This reveals their awareness of a deeper, more terrifying judgment beyond their…
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Last reviewed October 2026