The big picture
Matthew 8 opens in verse 1 with “When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took…”, and closes in verse 34 with “And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought…” Repeated or prominent terms include Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Matthew · King James Version · 34Matthew 8:1-7
1–7: When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
Matthew 8:1–7 opens with “When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.” and reaches “And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 8 develops its own movement around Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant, with particular weight carried by Jesus, clean, Lord.
Context that brings the passage to life
“When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.” The line’s distinctive content terms include followed, mountain, multitudes. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Matthew 8:1-7
King James Version1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Matthew 8:8-14
8–14: The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou…
Matthew 8:8–14 opens with “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof…” and reaches “And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 8 develops its own movement around Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant, with particular weight carried by Jesus, servant, centurion.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Matthew 8:8-14
King James Version8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
14And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
Matthew 8:15-21
15–21: He touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and…
Matthew 8:15–21 opens with “And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” and reaches “And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 8 develops its own movement around Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant, with particular weight carried by Jesus, arose, bare.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include arose, fever, hand. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with…” The line’s distinctive content terms include devils, healed, possessed. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
Matthew 8:15-21
King James Version15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Matthew 8:22-28
22–28: Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Matthew 8:22–28 opens with “But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” and reaches “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 8 develops its own movement around Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant, with particular weight carried by arose, dead, disciples.
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.
“But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” Naming Follow and Jesus keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Matthew 8:22-28
King James Version22But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
28And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
Matthew 8:29-34
29–34: And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee…
Matthew 8:29–34 opens with “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art…” and reaches “And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 8 develops its own movement around Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant, with particular weight carried by herd, swine, besought.
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, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to…” 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.
Matthew 8:29-34
King James Version29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32And 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.
33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Matthew 8:1 begins with “When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.”
Where the chapter turns
Matthew 8:18 forms a natural hinge: “Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.”
The final note
Matthew 8:34 leaves the reader with “And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Jesus, Lord, devils, herd, servant, swine help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why does the waiting matter?
Noah receives signs of progress but does not confuse partial improvement with the completed deliverance.
What remains unchanged after the flood?
Human inclination toward evil remains, according to verse 21; preservation rests on God's commitment.
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.