Matthew 8 · Verse 29

Matthew 8:29

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Matthew 8:29, King James Version

Matthew 8:29 in other translations

BSB“What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
WEBBehold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
ASVAnd behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
YLTand lo, they cried out, saying, ‘What--to us and to thee, Jesus, Son of God? didst thou come hither, before the time, to afflict us?'
DARBYAnd behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Son of God? hast thou come here before the time to torment us?
BBEAnd they gave a loud cry, saying, What have we to do with you, you Son of God? Have you come here to give us punishment before the time?
WebsterAnd behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

What does Matthew 8:29 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 29. What have we to do with thee. This might have been translated with great propriety, What hast thou to do with us? The meaning is, "Why dost thou trouble, or disturb us?" See 2Sam 16:10; 2Kgs 9:18, Ezr 4:3.

Son of God. The title, Son of God, is often given to Christ. Men are sometimes called sons, or children of God, to denote their piety and adoption into his family, 1Jn 3:1. But the title given, to Christ denotes his superiority to the prophets, (Heb 1:1) to Moses the founder of the Jewish economy, (Heb 3:6) it denotes his peculiar and near relation to the Father, as evinced by his resurrection, (Ps 2:7, Acts 13:33) it denotes his peculiar relation to God from his miraculous conception, (Lk 1:35) and is equivalent to a declaration that he is Divine, or equal to the Father, Jn 10:36.

Art thou come hither to torment us, etc. By the time here mentioned is meant the day of judgment. The Bible reveals the doctrine that evil spirits are not now bound as they will be after that day; that they are permitted to tempt and afflict men; but that in the day of judgment they also will be condemned to everlasting punishment with all the wicked, 2Pet 2:4, Jude 1:6. These spirits seemed to be apprized of that, and alarmed lest the day that they had feared had come. They besought him, therefore, not to send them out of that country; not to consign them then to hell, but to put off the day of their final punishment. Mark and Luke say that Jesus inquired the name of the principal demoniac, and that he called his name Legion, for they were many. The name legion was given to a division in the Roman army. It did not always denote the same number; but, in the time of Christ, it consisted of six thousand--three thousand foot and three thousand horsemen. It came, therefore, to signify a large number, without specifying the exact amount.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 What have we to do with thee - The literal translation of τι ημιν και σοι, is, What is it to us and to thee; which perhaps might be understood to imply their disclaiming any design to interfere with the work of Christ, and that he should not therefore meddle with them; for it appears they exceedingly dreaded his power. What have we to do with thee, is a Jewish phrase, which often occurs in the Old Testament, signifying an abrupt refusal of some request, or a wish not to be troubled with the company or importunity of others. Jehu said to the messenger who was sent by Joram to meet him, What hast thou to do with peace? David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Compare Jdg 11:12; 2Sam 16:10; 2Kgs 9:18; Ezr 4:3; Joh 2:4. See the note on Mar 1:24. Jesus, thou Son of God - Griesbach omits the word Jesus, on the authority of several MSS. of the greatest antiquity and respectability; besides some versions, and several of the fathers. I heartily concur with these MSS., etc., for this simple reason, among others, that the word Jesus, i.e. Savior, was of too ominous an import to the Satanic interest to be used freely, in such a case, by any of his disciples or subalterns. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? - From this it appears that a greater degree of punishment awaited these demons than they at that time endured; and that they knew there was a time determined by the Divine Judge, when they should be sent into greater torments.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 8:28-34

The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Saviour; they neither have, nor hope for any benefit from him. Oh the depth of this mystery of Divine love; that fallen man has so much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have nothing to do with him! He 2:16. Surely here was torment, to be forced to own the excellence that is in Christ, and yet they had no part in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to do…

Read the full comment on Matthew 8:28-34 →

Matthew 8:29 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἰδοὺidoubeholdG2400
ἔκραξανekraxanthey cried outG2896
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
τίtiWhatG5101
ἡμῖνhēminto usG3165
καὶkaiandG2532
σοίsoito youG4771
υἱὲhuieSonG5207
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ;theouof God?G2316
ἦλθεςēlthesAre You comeG2064
ὧδεhōdehereG5602
πρὸprobefore [the]G4253
καιροῦkairoutimeG2540
βασανίσαιbasanisaito tormentG928
ἡμᾶς;hēmasus?G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 8:29

  • Mark 1:24

    Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

  • Luke 4:34

    Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

  • James 2:19

    Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

  • Mark 5:7

    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.

  • Luke 8:28

    When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

  • Matthew 4:3

    And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

  • 2 Peter 2:4

    For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

  • John 2:4

    Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

  • Luke 4:41

    And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

  • 2 Samuel 16:10

    And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

  • Jude 1:6

    And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

  • 1 Kings 17:18

    And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What.
2Sa 16:10; 19:22; Joe 3:4; Mr 1:24; 5:7; Lu 4:34; 8:28; Joh 2:4
thou Son.
4:3; Mr 3:11; Lu 4:41; Ac 16:17; Jas 2:19
torment.
2Pe 2:4; Jude 1:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 8:28

    And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

  • Matthew 8:29

    And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

  • Matthew 8:30

    And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

Read all of Matthew 8

Matthew 8:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y he aquí clamaron, diciendo: ¿Qué tenemos contigo, Jesús, Hijo de Dios? ¿has venido acá á molestarnos antes de tiempo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et voici, ils s’écrièrent, disant: Qu’y a-t-il entre nous et toi Jésus, Fils de Dieu? Es-tu venu ici avant le temps pour nous tourmenter?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und siehe, sie schrieen und sprachen: Was haben wir mit dir zu schaffen, Sohn Gottes? Bist du hierhergekommen, vor der Zeit uns zu quälen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ecce clamaverunt, dicentes: Quid nobis et tibi, Jesu fili Dei? Venisti huc ante tempus torquere nos?