Matthew 8 · Verse 31

Matthew 8:31

So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
Matthew 8:31, King James Version

Matthew 8:31 in other translations

BSBSo the demons begged Jesus, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
WEBThe demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”
ASVAnd the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.
YLTand the demons were calling on him, saying, ‘If thou dost cast us forth, permit us to go away to the herd of the swine;'
DARBYand the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.
BBEAnd the evil spirits made strong prayers to him, saying, If you send us out, let us go into the herd of pigs.
WebsterSo the demons besought him, saying, If thou expellest us, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

What does Matthew 8:31 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 31. Mt 8:28

(k) "suffer us" Job 1:10-12, 2:3-6 (l) "???" De 14:8, Isa 65:3,4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 31 Suffer us to go away - Επιτρεψον ημιν απελθειν: this is the common reading; but αποστειλον ημας, send us away, appears more likely to be genuine. This latter reading Griesbach has adopted, on the authority of three ancient MSS., the Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Syriac, all the Arabic, Saxon, most of the Itala, and the Vulgate. Send us away seems to express more fully the absolute power Jesus Christ had over them - permission alone was not sufficient; the very power by which they were to go away, must come from Christ himself! How vain was the boast of Satan, Mat 4:9, when we find he could not possess the body of one of the vilest animals that God has made, without immediate authority from the Most High! Since a demon cannot enter even into a swine without being sent by God himself, how little is the power or malice of any of them to be dreaded by those who have God for their portion and protector!

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 8:31 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.

οἱhoi<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
δαίμονεςdaimonesthe demonsG1142
παρεκάλουνparekalounwere beggingG3870
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
εἰeiIfG1487
ἐκβάλλειςekballeisYou cast outG1544
ἡμᾶς,hēmasus,G3165
ἐπίτρεψονepitrepsondo allowG2010
ἀπόστειλονaposteilondo send awayG649
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἀγέληνagelēnherdG34
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
χοίρων.choirōnof pigs.G5519

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

Cross references for Matthew 8:31

  • Revelation 20:1-2

    And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

  • Mark 5:12

    And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

  • Revelation 12:12

    Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

  • Luke 8:30-33

    And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

  • 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mr 5:7,12; Lu 8:30-33; Re 12:12; 20:1,2

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

Context

  • Matthew 8:30

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

  • Matthew 8:31

    So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

  • Matthew 8:32

    And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

Read all of Matthew 8

Matthew 8:31 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los demonios le rogaron, diciendo: Si nos echas, permítenos ir á aquel hato de puercos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les démons le priaient, disant: Si tu nous chasses, permets-nous de nous en aller dans le troupeau des pourceaux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Dämonen aber baten ihn und sprachen: Wenn du uns austreibst, so sende uns in die Herde Schweine.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dæmones autem rogabant eum, dicentes: Si ejicis nos hinc, mitte nos in gregem porcorum.