Lukas 8:26

Healing of a Demoniac

8:26 So ¹  they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes, ²  which is opposite ³  Galilee.

Lukas 8:37

8:37 Then ⁴  all the people of the Gerasenes ⁵  and the surrounding region ⁶  asked Jesus ⁷  to leave them alone, ⁸  for they were seized with great fear. ⁹  So ¹⁰  he got into the boat and left. ¹¹ 

[8:26]  ¹ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a summary and transition in the narrative.

[8:26]  ² tc The textual tradition here is quite complicated. Most mss, especially later ones (A W Ψ Ë¹³ Ï sy), read “Gadarenes,” which is the better reading in Matt 8:28. Some mss (א L Θ Ξ Ë¹ 33 579 700* 1241 pc) have “Gergesenes.” But early and important representatives of the Alexandrian and Western texttypes (Ì⁷⁵ B D latt) have “Gerasenes,” the reading followed in the translation. The difference between Matthew and Luke may well have to do with uses of variant regional terms.

[8:26]  sn The region of the Gerasenes would be in Gentile territory on the (south)eastern side of the Sea of Galilee across from Galilee. Matthew 8:28 records this miracle as occurring “in the region of the Gadarenes.” “Irrespective of how one settles this issue, for the Third Evangelist the chief concern is that Jesus has crossed over into Gentile territory, ‘opposite Galilee’” (J. B. Green, Luke [NICNT], 337). The region of Gadara extended to the Sea of Galilee and included the town of Sennabris on the southern shore – the town that the herdsmen most likely entered after the drowning of the pigs.

[8:26]  ³ sn That is, across the Sea of Galilee from Galilee.

[8:37]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[8:37]  ⁵ tc See the tc note on “Gerasenes” in v. 26 for the same geographical options for the textual variants.

[8:37]  ⁶ tn Grk “all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes,” but according to L&N 1.80, “περίχωρος may include not only the surrounding region but also the point of reference, for example…‘the Gerasenes and the people living around them’ Lk 8:37.”

[8:37]  ⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:37]  ⁸ tn Or “to depart from them.”

[8:37]  ⁹ sn Again there is great fear at God’s activity, but there is a different reaction. Some people want nothing to do with God’s presence. Mark 5:16 hints that economic reasons motivated their request.

[8:37]  ¹⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ departure was the result of the Gerasenes’ response. A new sentence was started in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.

[8:37]  ¹¹ tn Grk “returned,” but the effect is that he departed from the Gerasene region.