Luke 8:31
New International Version
And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

New Living Translation
The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.

English Standard Version
And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

Berean Standard Bible
And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss.

Berean Literal Bible
And they were begging Him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

King James Bible
And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

New King James Version
And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

New American Standard Bible
And they were begging Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

NASB 1995
They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

NASB 1977
And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they were pleading with Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

Amplified Bible
They continually begged Him not to command them to go into the abyss.

Christian Standard Bible
And they begged him not to banish them to the abyss.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And they begged Him not to banish them to the abyss.

American Standard Version
And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss.

Contemporary English Version
They begged Jesus not to send them to the deep pit, where they would be punished.

English Revised Version
And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The demons begged Jesus not to order them to go into the bottomless pit.

Good News Translation
The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss.

International Standard Version
Then the demons began begging Jesus not to order them to go into the bottomless pit.

Majority Standard Bible
And he kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss.

NET Bible
And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss.

New Heart English Bible
They pleaded with him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they besought him, that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

Weymouth New Testament
and they besought Him not to command them to be gone into the Bottomless Pit.

World English Bible
They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he was calling on Him that He may not command them to go away into the abyss,

Berean Literal Bible
And they were begging Him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

Young's Literal Translation
and he was calling on him, that he may not command them to go away to the abyss,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he besought him that he would not command him to go away into the abyss.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they besought him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they petitioned him not to order them to go into the abyss.

New American Bible
And they pleaded with him not to order them to depart to the abyss.

New Revised Standard Version
They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they besought him not to command them to go down into the abyss.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were begging him that he would not command them to enter the abyss.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And they be sought him, that he would not command them to go away into the abyss.

Godbey New Testament
And he continued to intreat Him that He should not command them to depart into the abyss.

Haweis New Testament
And he besought him that he would not order them to go into the abyss.

Mace New Testament
and they entreated him not to condemn them to the abyss.

Weymouth New Testament
and they besought Him not to command them to be gone into the Bottomless Pit.

Worrell New Testament
And they were entreating Him, that He would not command them to go away into the abyss.

Worsley New Testament
And they besought Him that He would not command them to go into the abyss:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Demons and the Pigs
30“What is your name?” Jesus asked. “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss. 32There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission.…

Cross References
Matthew 8:29
“What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

Mark 5:10
And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region.

Revelation 9:1-11
Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss. / The star opened the pit of the Abyss, and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. / And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth. ...

Revelation 20:1-3
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain. / He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. / And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.

2 Peter 2:4
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;

Jude 1:6
And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.

Matthew 25:41
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 12:7-9
Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. / But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels. / And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:10
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Isaiah 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. / You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” ...

Ezekiel 28:12-17
“Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. / You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation. / You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. ...

Job 1:6-7
One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. / “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

Job 2:1-2
On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him. / “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

Daniel 10:13
However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10:20-21
“Do you know why I have come to you?” he said. “I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I have gone forth, behold, the prince of Greece will come. / But first I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. Yet no one has the courage to support me against these, except Michael your prince.


Treasury of Scripture

And they sought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

they.

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.

Job 1:11
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Job 2:5
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

the deep.

Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Revelation 9:2
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Revelation 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

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Abyss Begged Besought Bottomless Command Deep Depart Entreated Imploring Order Pit Repeatedly Request
Luke 8
1. Women minister unto Jesus of their own means.
4. Jesus, after he had preached from place to place,
9. explains the parable of the sower,
16. and the candle;
19. declares who are his mother, and brothers;
22. rebukes the winds;
26. casts the legion of demons out of the man into the herd of pigs;
37. is rejected by the Gadarenes;
43. heals the woman of her bleeding;
49. and raises Jairus's daughter from death.














And they begged Him not to order them to go into the Abyss
And they begged Him
The phrase "they begged Him" indicates a sense of urgency and desperation from the demons. The Greek word used here is "παρεκάλουν" (parekaloun), which conveys a strong plea or entreaty. This reflects the demons' recognition of Jesus' authority and power over them. In the broader scriptural context, this plea underscores the spiritual hierarchy where even malevolent spirits must submit to Christ's command. Historically, this interaction highlights the pervasive belief in spiritual realms and entities during the time of Jesus, and the acknowledgment of His divine authority by all spiritual beings.

not to order them
The phrase "not to order them" reveals the demons' fear of Jesus' command. The Greek word "ἐπιτάξῃ" (epitaxē) is used here, meaning to command or give orders. This demonstrates the absolute authority of Jesus over the spiritual realm. In a conservative Christian perspective, this authority is a testament to Jesus' divine nature and His role as the ultimate judge and ruler over all creation, both seen and unseen.

to go into the Abyss
The "Abyss" is a term that carries significant weight in biblical literature. The Greek word "ἄβυσσος" (abyssos) refers to a deep, bottomless pit or a place of confinement for evil spirits. In Jewish apocalyptic literature, the Abyss is often depicted as a place of chaos and punishment. The demons' fear of being sent there indicates their awareness of the impending judgment and their desire to avoid it. From a theological standpoint, the Abyss represents the ultimate separation from God, a place of torment and despair. This highlights the reality of spiritual warfare and the eventual triumph of God's justice over evil. The historical context of this term would resonate with the audience of Luke's Gospel, who would understand the Abyss as a place of divine retribution and the final destination for evil.

(31) To go out into the deep.--Better, into the abyss. The word is not found in the other Gospels, and it clearly means, not the deep waters of the Galilean lake, but the pit, the "bottomless pit" of Revelation 9:1-2; Revelation 9:11. The man, identifying himself with the demons, asks for any doom rather than that.

Verse 31. - And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. This time the voice and the request apparently proceed from the terrible presence which had made the soul of the unhappy man their temporary habitation. The direful confusion in the state of the poor demoniac is shown by this request. By whom was it made? The bystanders could discern no difference between the possessed and the spirits dwelling in the afflicted human being. So St. Mark, in his relation, puts these words into the demoniac's mouth, "And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country;" apparently here partly conscious of his own personal being, and partly identifying himself with the demoniac forces which were afflicting him. The request is a strange one, and suggests much anxious thought. What is the abyss these rebel-spirits dreaded with so great a dread? It would seem as though, to use Godet's thought, that for beings alienated from God, the power of acting on the world is a temporary solace to their unrest, and that to be deprived of this power is for them just what a return to prison is for the captive. St. Mark's expression here is a curious one. He represents the spirits requesting Jesus "not to send them away out of the country." The two accounts put together tell us that these spirits were aware, if they were driven out of the country - whatever that expression signified, this earth possibly - they must go out into the deep, the abyss, what is called "the bottomless pit" in Revelation 9:1, 2, 11. Any doom seemed to these lost ones preferable to that. The whole train of thought suggested by the incident and the words of the Lord is very terrible. We see at least one reason why the first preachers of the Word have selected this exorcism. It indeed lifts a bit of the curtain which hangs between us and the night of endless woe!

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[the demons] kept begging
παρεκάλουν (parekaloun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3870: From para and kaleo; to call near, i.e. Invite, invoke.

[Jesus]
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

not
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

to order
ἐπιτάξῃ (epitaxē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2004: To give order, command, charge. From epi and tasso; to arrange upon, i.e. Order.

them
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Neuter 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

to go
ἀπελθεῖν (apelthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 565: From apo and erchomai; to go off, aside or behind, literally or figuratively.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Abyss.
ἄβυσσον (abysson)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 12: The abyss, unfathomable depth, an especially Jewish conception, the home of the dead and of evil spirits. Depthless, i.e. 'abyss'.


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NT Gospels: Luke 8:31 They begged him that he would not (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 8:30
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