The Return of the Unclean Spirit

⁴³ “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none.

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

²⁴ “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ²⁵ When it returns, it finds it swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”^(A)

²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, shouting, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me,”^{(A) 29} for Jesus^[a] had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) ³⁰ Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.^(B)

³² Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding, and the demons^[b] begged Jesus^[c] to let them enter these. So he gave them permission.

²⁹ Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”^(A)

⁷ and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”^{(A) 8} For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹ Then Jesus^[a] asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” ¹⁰ He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region. ¹¹ Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding, ¹² and the unclean spirits^[b] begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” ¹³ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, stampeded down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea.

² The Lord said to the accuser,^[a] “Where have you come from?” The accuser^[b] answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it.”^(A)

⁷ The Lord said to the accuser,^[a] “Where have you come from?” The accuser^[b] answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it.”^(A)