Luke 8:34

34 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country.

Luke 8:34 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:34

When they that fed them saw what was done
That the devils went out of the man possessed by them, and entered into the herd of swine, which becoming mad therewith, ran furiously down the precipice into the sea, and were drowned:

they fled;
as persons affrighted, at these uncommon and surprising events, and as afraid to see their owners:

and went and told it in the city;
that is, of Gadara, or some other city near at hand; the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, "in the cities"; in all the cities round about, in that country:

and in the country,
or "fields", in the villages adjacent, and in the houses which were scattered about in the fields for conveniency, for rural business.

Luke 8:34 In-Context

32 A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged Jesus to order them into the pigs. He gave the order.
33 It was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the lake and drowned.
34 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country.
35 People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had been sent, sitting there at Jesus' feet, wearing decent clothes and making sense. It was a holy moment, and for a short time they were more reverent than curious.
36 Then those who had seen it happen told how the demoniac had been saved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.