The big picture
Mark 5 opens in verse 1 with “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 22 with “And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when…”, and closes in verse 43 with “And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something…” Repeated or prominent terms include Jesus, damsel, swine, besought, chains. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Mark · King James Version · 43Mark 5:1-8
1–8: They came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the…
Mark 5:1–8 opens with “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.” and reaches “For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The restored man among the tombs, Jairus pleading, the suffering woman touching Jesus’ garment, and the girl raised, with particular weight carried by chains, tombs, fetters.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.” Naming Gadarenes keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:” The line’s distinctive content terms include bind, chains, dwelling. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
Mark 5:1-8
King James Version1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7And 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.
8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
Mark 5:9-16
9–16: He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is…
Mark 5:9–16 opens with “And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.” and reaches “And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The restored man among the tombs, Jairus pleading, the suffering woman touching Jesus’ garment, and the girl raised, with particular weight carried by swine, besought, country.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.” The line’s distinctive content terms include feeding, herd, mountains. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
Mark 5:9-16
King James Version9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
Mark 5:17-24
17–24: They began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
Mark 5:17–24 opens with “And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.” and reaches “And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The restored man among the tombs, Jairus pleading, the suffering woman touching Jesus’ garment, and the girl raised, with particular weight carried by Jesus, began, people.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.” The line’s distinctive content terms include began, coasts, depart. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord…” Naming Howbeit and Jesus keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto…” Naming Jesus keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Mark 5:17-24
King James Version17And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
Mark 5:25-32
25–32: A certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
Mark 5:25–32 opens with “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,” and reaches “And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The restored man among the tombs, Jairus pleading, the suffering woman touching Jesus’ garment, and the girl raised, with particular weight carried by touched, blood, clothes.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,” The number twelve makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Mark 5:25-32
King James Version25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
Mark 5:33-40
33–40: The woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and…
Mark 5:33–40 opens with “But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before…” and reaches “And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The restored man among the tombs, Jairus pleading, the suffering woman touching Jesus’ garment, and the girl raised, with particular weight carried by damsel, ruler, daughter.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include fearing, fell, knowing. Its relationship to verses 34 shows what work it does in this passage.
“While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Mark 5:33-40
King James Version33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Mark 5:41-43
41–43: He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which…
Mark 5:41–43 opens with “And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being…” and reaches “And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on The restored man among the tombs, Jairus pleading, the suffering woman touching Jesus’ garment, and the girl raised, with particular weight carried by damsel, arise, arose.
Mark 5:41-43
King James Version41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Mark 5:1 begins with “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.”
Where the chapter turns
Mark 5:30 forms a natural hinge: “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”
The final note
Mark 5:43 leaves the reader with “And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Jesus, damsel, swine, besought, chains, country help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.