He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights a profound contrast: the man's extreme isolation, dwelling with the dead, is contrasted with his incredible strength that no one, not even with chains, could contain. This shows how deeply the demonic influence had severed him from humanity, making him a captive even to his own immense, destructive power.
He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just after Jesus calmed a storm, He lands in a Gentile region, where He's immediately met by a man so violently demon-possessed that he lives among tombs and is utterly uncontrollable, even by chains. This encounter sets the stage for Jesus' powerful deliverance, which dramatically impacts the local community and highlights the stark contrast between the demoniac's former chaos and his new life in Christ.
Imagine a life so broken, so outside the bounds of normal human society, that the only place of 'respite' was among the dead.
The man's dwelling among the tombs wasn't just a location; it was a profound symbol of his spiritual state.
Separation and Despair
Living among tombs signified complete separation from the living community. The tombs, being unclean places according to Jewish custom, also pointed to a life steeped in ritual impurity and spiritual death. It's a picture of someone utterly abandoned, not only by others but seemingly by God.
Unfettered Wildness
This 'dwelling' also underscores the complete loss of control over his life. The commentary notes that tombs were often solitary and remote, ideal for someone so violent and unmanageable that no one could approach him. His 'settled habitation' was a place of chaos, not peace.
He was so powerful, so uncontrollable, that no chain could hold him. This wasn't just brute strength; it was something far more sinister.
The inability of anyone to bind the demon-possessed man, even with chains, speaks volumes about the overwhelming power of the forces controlling him.
The Limits of Human Effort
The repeated attempts to restrain him with fetters and chains, all in vain, highlight the sheer inadequacy of human power against this kind of spiritual oppression. 'No man could any longer bind him' shows that the situation had reached a point where all human solutions had failed.
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A Demonic Superpower
This uncontrollable strength wasn't the man's own but a manifestation of the demonic power within him. The commentaries suggest this supernatural strength was a tool of the evil spirits, designed to isolate and terrify. It was a perversion of human strength, turned into a destructive force.
Understand the original words
halysis · Greek Noun
A common term for metal links used for confinement or restriction. Biblically, it can refer to literal imprisonment or, metaphorically, to sin or demonic oppression.
The man's extreme, uncontrollable violence and dwelling among tombs highlight the desperate, dehumanizing power of demonic possession, a stark contrast to the order and peace Jesus brings.
c. 30 AD
Jesus ministers in Galilee
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching and performing miracles, drawing large crowds. This period includes His encounters with various individuals needing healing and deliverance.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus crosses to Gadarene territory
Jesus and His disciples cross the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Gadarenes (or Gerasenes), an area predominantly Gentile and known for its pig herds.
c. 30 AD
Encounter with the Gerasene Demoniac
Jesus encounters a man possessed by a legion of demons who lives among the tombs, exhibiting extreme violence and strength that no one can control.
c. 30 AD
Demons cast into swine
Jesus casts the legion of demons out of the man and into a nearby herd of about two thousand pigs, which then rush into the sea and drown.
c. 30 AD
Gadarene request for Jesus to leave
The local people, fearing the loss of their livelihood and the disruption, ask Jesus to leave their region. Jesus complies, and the healed man is sent to tell his story.
This Old Testament passage speaks of people who 'dwell among the graves' and lodge in the ruins, hinting at a similar state of isolation and association with death long before Jesus' time.
Matthew 8:28This passage from Matthew describes the same event but mentions two demon-possessed men, providing a slightly different perspective on the severity and scope of demonic influence.
Luke 8:27Luke's account emphasizes that the man was 'for a long time' possessed, highlighting the deep-seated nature of his affliction and the desperation of his condition before encountering Jesus.
Romans 8:15This New Testament passage contrasts the spirit of adoption with the spirit of slavery, paralleling the demon-possessed man's utter lack of freedom and control over his own life with the freedom found in Christ.
1 Samuel 16:14This Old Testament account of King Saul being troubled by an evil spirit shows an earlier instance of a person suffering from a spiritual affliction that affected their mind and behavior, though not to the extreme of this Gadarene man.
vincentMark 5:3: "Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:"
The details of Mark 5:3-5 are peculiar to Mark. "The picture of the miserable man is fearful; and in drawing it, each evangelist has some touches which are peculiarly his own; but St. Mark's is the most eminently graphic of all, adding, as it does, many strokes which wonderfully heighten the terribleness of the man's condition, and also magnify the glory of his cure" (Trench, "Miracles").Dwelling (…
bengelMark 5:3: "Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:"
Mark 5:3 . Κατοίκησιν , dwelling ) The dwellers among the tombs were of various descriptions. See Mark 5:5 .
This verse highlights a profound contrast: the man's extreme isolation, dwelling with the dead, is contrasted with his incredible strength that no one, not even with chains, could contain. This shows how deeply the demonic influence had severed him from humanity, making him a captive even to his own immense, destructive power.
Just after Jesus calmed a storm, He lands in a Gentile region, where He's immediately met by a man so violently demon-possessed that he lives among tombs and is utterly uncontrollable, even by chains. This encounter sets the stage for Jesus' powerful deliverance, which dramatically impacts the local community and highlights the stark contrast between the demoniac's former chaos and his new life in Christ.
Just after Jesus calmed a storm, He lands in a Gentile region, where He's immediately met by a man so violently demon-possessed that he lives among tombs and is utterly uncontrollable, even by chains. This encounter sets the stage for Jesus' powerful deliverance, which dramatically impacts the local community and highlights the stark contrast between the demoniac's former chaos and his new life in Christ.
"He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain," — This verse highlights a profound contrast: the man's extreme isolation, dwelling with the dead, is contrasted with his incredible strength that no one, not even with chains, could contain. This shows…
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Last reviewed October 2026