The Bible Study Podcast, episode 594. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the gospel of Mark with chapter 5.

Welcome to the Bible study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen.

Mark 5 has just two stories, one of Jesus casting out a demon and one of Jesus healing two women,

a young woman and an older woman. And it starts like this.

They went across the lake in the region of the garrisons. When Jesus got out of the boat,

a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs,

and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been chained hand

and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet.

No one was strong enough to subdue him.

Night and day among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.

He shouted at the top of his voice,

What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the most high God? In God's name, don't torture me.

For Jesus had said, come out of this man, you impure spirit. Then Jesus asked him, what is your name?

My name is Legion, he replied, for we are many.

And he begged Jesus again and again, not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs

pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, send us among the pigs,

allow us to go into them. He gave them permission,

and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd about 2,000 in number,

rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and

reported this in the town and countryside, and the people

went out to see what had happened.

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