Luke 8:37

37 Then all the people of the Gerasene district asked him to leave them, for they had been seized with great fear. So he boarded the boat and returned.

Luke 8:37 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:37

Then the whole multitude
For it seems, a very large number of people were presently gathered together, from all parts of the country, upon the report of the swine herds, who fled, it is very likely, some one way, and some another: of the country of the Gadarenes round about;
of the country that was round about Gadara. The Vulgate Latin reads, "of the Gergesenes"; and the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, "of the Gergesenes": and they all, with one accord, besought him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear:
lest they should suffer other and greater losses, than the loss of the swine; choosing rather that the devils should be retained among them, than Christ continue with them:

and he went up into the ship;
directly, granted their request at once; not desirous of staying with such an ungrateful people, that loved their swine more than him, yea, than the bodily health and welfare of their countrymen:

and he returned back again;
to Galilee, at least in a very little time, after some short discourse with the dispossessed man; having staid but a very small time in that place, just landed as it were, and not having proceeded far from the seashore.

Luke 8:37 In-Context

35 and the people came out to see for themselves. They came to Yeshua and found the man out of whom the demons had gone, sitting -- dressed and in his right mind -- at the feet of Yeshua; and they were frightened.
36 Those who had seen it told how the formerly demonized man had been delivered.
37 Then all the people of the Gerasene district asked him to leave them, for they had been seized with great fear. So he boarded the boat and returned.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged that he might go with him; but Yeshua sent him away, saying,
39 "Go back to your home and tell how much God has done for you." He went away proclaiming throughout the whole town how much Yeshua had done for him.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.