Mark 1:27

1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

Mark 3:11

3:11 And whenever the unclean spirits ¹  saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”

Mark 5:13

5:13 Jesus ²  gave them permission. ³  So ⁴  the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake, and about two thousand were drowned in the lake.

Mark 6:7

Sending Out the Twelve Apostles

6:7 Jesus ⁵  called the twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁶ 

¹ sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.

² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ sn Many have discussed why Jesus gave them permission, since the animals were destroyed. However, this is another example of a miracle that is a visual lesson. The demons are destructive: They were destroying the man. They destroyed the pigs. They destroy whatever they touch. The point was to take demonic influence seriously, as well as Jesus’ power over it as a picture of the larger battle for human souls. There would be no doubt how the man’s transformation had taken place.

⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion and transition in the narrative.

⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ sn The phrase unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.