Luk 8:29-31 | NETfull | STEP | For Jesus had started commanding the evil spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so he would be bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard. But he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.)

Luke 8:29-31

29 For Jesus ^{▼▼ Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} had started commanding ^{▼▼ ‡ Although the external evidence favors the aorist παρήγγειλεν (parēngeilen, “he commanded”; Ƥ⁷⁵ B Θ Ξ Ψ f¹³ 579 700 1241 1424 2542 pm), the internal evidence favors the imperfect παρήγγελλεν (parēngellen, here translated “he had started commanding”; א A C K L W Γ Δ 1 33 565 892 pm). The aorist is suspect because it can more easily be taken as a single command, and thus an immediate exorcism. The imperfect would most likely be ingressive (BDF ##328; 329; 331), suggesting that Jesus started to command the evil spirit to depart, and continued the command.} the evil ^{▼▼ Grk “unclean.”} spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so,” introducing a clause that gives the result of the man being seized by the demon.} he would be bound with chains and shackles ^{▼▼ Or “fetters”; these were chains for the feet.} and kept under guard. But ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.} he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted ^{▼▼ Grk “into the deserts.” The plural use here has been translated as “deserted places,” that is, uninhabited areas.} places.) ^{▼▼ This is a parenthetical, explanatory comment by the author.} 30 Jesus then ^{▼▼ Grk “And Jesus.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to pick up the sequence of the narrative prior to the parenthetical note by the author.} asked him, “What is your name?” He ^{▼▼ Here δέ (de) has not been translated.} said, “Legion,” ^{▼▼ The name Legion means “thousands,” a word taken from a Latin term for a large group of soldiers. The term not only suggests a multiple possession, but also adds a military feel to the account. This is a true battle.} because many demons had entered him. 31 And they began to beg ^{▼▼ One could also translate the imperfect tense here with a repetitive force like “begged him repeatedly.”} him not to order ^{▼▼ Or “command.”} them to depart into the abyss. ^{▼▼ This word, ἄβυσσος (abussos), is a term for the place where the dead await the judgment. It also could hold hostile spirits according to Jewish belief (Jub. 5:6–7; 1 En. 10:4–6; 18:11–16).}