Mark 5:3

3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.

Mark 5:3 in Other Translations

KJV
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
ESV
3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain,
NLT
3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain.
MSG
3 He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him - he couldn't be chained, couldn't be tied down.
CSB
3 He lived in the tombs. No one was able to restrain him any more-even with chains-

Mark 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 5:3

Who had his dwelling among the tombs
Which is one of the characters of a madman among the Jews; who say it is F17

``the sign of a madman, that he goeth out in the night, (twrbqh) (tybb Nlhw) , "and lodges among the tombs", and rends his garments, and loses what is given to him.''

The same they say, in the same place, of an hypochondriac, and melancholy man; and of Kordiacus, which they give out F18 is a demon that possesses, and has power over some sort of persons:

and no man could bind him, no, not with chains;
so as to hold him for any length of time: not only cords were insufficient to hold, but even chains of iron; so strong was he through the possession; for this could not be by his own natural strength.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 T. Hieros. Gittin, fol. 48. 3. & Trumot, fol. 40. 2.
F18 Jarchi & Bartenora in Misn. Gittin, c. 7. sect. 1.

Mark 5:3 In-Context

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.
4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
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