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Matthew 8:30

Matthew 8:30 in Multiple Translations

In the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding.

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

Now there was, some distance away, a great herd of pigs taking their food.

In the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding.

Nowe there was, afarre off from them, a great heard of swine feeding.

And there was far off from them a herd of many swine feeding,

Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.

And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine, feeding.

And there was, not far from them, an herd of many swine feeding.

There was a large herd of pigs not far away, digging for food with their noses.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Matthew 8:30

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Matthew 8:30 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
GRK ην δε μακραν απ αυτων αγελη χοιρων πολλων βοσκομενη
ην eimi G1510 to be Verb-IAI-3S
δε de G1161 then Conj
μακραν makran G3112 far Adv
απ apo G575 away from Prep
αυτων autos G846 it/s/he Pron-GPM
αγελη agelē G34 herd Noun-NSF
χοιρων choiros G5519 pig Noun-GPM
πολλων polus G4183 much Adj-GPM
βοσκομενη boskō G1006 to feed Verb-PPP-NSF
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Greek Word Reference — Matthew 8:30

ην eimi G1510 "to be" Verb-IAI-3S
To be or exist, a basic verb used to describe something or someone, like God saying 'I am' in John 8:58.
Definition: εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. __I. As substantive verb. __1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. __2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. __3. to be present, be in a place, have come: Mat.2:13, 15, Mrk.1:45, 5:21, 15:40, Luk.1:80, 5:29, Jhn.7:30, al.; before εἰς, Mrk.2:1; before ἐκ, (ἐξ), Mat.1:20, 21:25, Mrk.11:30, Jhn.3:31, al. __4. Impers., ἔστι, ἦν, etc.; __(a) there is (Fr. il y a), was, etc.: Mat.16:28, Luk.16:19, Jhn.3:1, 5:2, Rom.3:10, al.; with dative (of the possessor; Bl., §37, 3), Mat.16:22, Luk.1:7, Jhn.18.10, Rom.9:2, al.; ἔστιν ὅς, ὅστις (chiefly in pl), Mat.16:28, 19:2, Mrk.9:1, al.; __(b) with inf., = ἔξεστιν (which see), it is possible: Heb.9:5, 1Co.11:20, RV (but see ICC, in l.). __II. As copula uniting subject and predicate. __1. Expressing simply identity or equivalence: Mat.5:13, 14:15, Luk.1:18, 19, Jhn.1:1, 4:19, Rev.3:9, al. mult. __2. Explicative, as in parable, figure, type, etc.: Mat.13:19, 1Co.9:2, 10:4, 11:25, Gal.4:24, Rev.17:15, al.; ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, Mat.27:46, Mrk.7:2, Rom.7:18 al.; ὅ ἐστιν, Mrk.3:17, Col.1:24, Heb.7:2, al.; akin to this is the sacramental usage: Mat.26:26-28, Mrk.14:22, 24, Luk.22:19, 1Co.11:24 (see ICC on Mk, I Co, ll. with; DB, iii, 148 f.). __3. C. genitive: qual., etc., Mrk.5:42, Luk.3:23, 1Co.14:33, Heb.12:11, al.; part., 1Ti.1:20, 2Ti.1:15; poss., Mat.5:3, 10, Mrk.12:7, Luk.4:7; of service or partisanship, Rom.8:9, 1Co.1:12, 2Co.10:7, 2Ti.2:19. __4. C. dative (BL, §37, 3): Act.1:8, 9:15, Rom.4:12, 1Co.1:18, 2:14, Rev.21:7, al. __5. C. ptcp., as a periphrasis for the simple verb (Bl., §62, 1, 2; M, Pr., 225 ff.); __(a) with ptcp. pf. (cl.): Mat.10:30, Luk.9:32, Jhn.3:24, Act.21:35, 1Co.15:19, al; __(b) with ptcp. pr. (esp. in impf., as in Heb. and Aram.; Dalman, Words, 35 f.), Mat.7:29, Mrk.1:22, Luk.4:31, 14:1, Act.1:10, al. mult., id. for imper. (M, Pr., 180f., 182f.), with ellipsis of εἰμί, Rom.12:9, 10, Heb.13:5, al.; __(with) with ptcp. aor. (cl), Luk.23:9. __6. Seq. εἰς (cf. Heb. הָיָה לְ), a vernac. usage (M, Pr., 71): Mat.19:5, Mrk.10:8, Heb.8:10, al. __7. C. adv.: Mat.19:20, Mrk.4:26, Luk.18:11, al. __8. Ellipses; __(a) of the copula (Bl., §30, 3): Mat.8:29, 24:32, Jhn.21:22, 23, Heb.6:4, al.; __(b) of the predicate: ἐγώ εἰμί, Mat.14:27, Mrk.6:50, al.; absol. (cf. Deu.32:39; אֲנִי הוּא), Mrk.13:6, Jhn.4:26, al. (cf. ἄπ-, ἔν-, πάρ-, συμ-πάρ-, σύν-ειμι). (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 2123 NT verses. KJV: am, have been, X it is I, was See also: 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Peter 1:6.
δε de G1161 "then" Conj
This is a conjunction that means and, but, or then, used to connect ideas like in Matthew 1:2 and 2 Corinthians 6:15.
Definition: δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; __1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; καὶ ἐὰν δέ, yea even if, Jhn.8:16. __2. Adversative, but, on the other hand, prop., answering to a foregoing μέν (which see), and distinguishing a word or clause from one preceding (in NT most frequently without μέν; Bl., §77, 12): ἐὰν δέ, Mat.6:14, 23, al.; ἐγὼ (σὺ, etc.) δέ, Mat.5:22, 6:6, Mrk.8:29, al.; ὁ δέ, αὐτὸς δέ, Mrk.1:45, Luk.4:40, al.; after a negation, Mat.6:19, 20, Rom.3:4, 1Th.5:21, al. (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 2552 NT verses. KJV: also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English) See also: 1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Peter 1:7.
μακραν makran G3112 "far" Adv
This word means something is far away, as in Luke 15:20 and Matthew 8:30. It can be physical or metaphorical distance.
Definition: μακράν (prop. fem. accusative of μακρός, Sc. ὁδόν), adv. , [in LXX for רָחוֹק hi., רָחַק, etc. ;] a long way, far: Luk.15:20, Act.22:21; before ἀπό, Mat.8:30, Luk.7:6, Jhn.21:8, Act.17:27; id. metaphorically, Mrk.12:34; οἱ εἰς μ., Act.2:39 (cf. Isa.2:2); metaphorically, οἱ ποτὲ ὄντες μ. (opposite to ἐγγύς), Eph.2:13; οἱ μ., Eph.2:17.† (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 9 NT verses. KJV: (a-)far (off), good (great) way off See also: Acts 17:27; John 21:8; Matthew 8:30.
απ apo G575 "away from" Prep
This word means moving away from something, like a place or a time. It's used in many parts of the Bible, like Matthew 5:29 and Luke 5:2, to show movement or separation. It can also mean because of something.
Definition: ἀπό (on the frequently neglect of elision bef. vowels, see Tdf., Pr., 94, WH, App., 146), prep. with genitive (WM, 462ff.; on its relation to ἐκ, παρά, ὑπό, ib. 456f.), [in LXX for לְ ,בְּ ,מִן ;] from (i.e. from the exterior). __1. Of separation and cessation; __(1) of motion from a place: Mat.5:29, 30 7:23, Luk.5:2 22:41, al.; __(2) in partitive sense (M, Pr., 72, 102, 245; MM, see word; Bl., §40, 2), Mat.9:16 27:21, Jhn.21:10, Act.5:2, al.; also after verbs of eating, etc.; __(3) of alienation (cl. genitive of separation), after such verbs as λούω (Deiss., BS, 227), λύω, σώζω, παύω, etc.; ἀνάθεμα ἀ., Rom.9:3; ἀποθνήσκειν ἀ., Col.2:20; σαλευθῆναι, 2Th.2:2, καθαρός, -ίζειν, ἀ. (Deiss., BS, 196, 216), Act.20:26, 2Co.7:1, Heb.9:14; __(4) of position, Mat.23:34 24:31, al.; after μακράν, Mat.8:30; transposed before measures of distance, Jhn.10:18 21:8, Rev.14:20 (Abbott, JG, 227); __(5) of time, ἀπὸ τ. ὥρας, ἡμέρας, etc., Mat.9:22, Jhn.19:27, Act.20:18, Php.1:5, al.; ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος, Luk.1:70, al.; ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς, etc., Mat.19:4, Rom.1:20; ἀπὸ βρέφους, 2Ti.3:15; ἀφ᾽ ἧς, since, Luk.7:45, al.; ἀπὸ τ. νῦν, Luk.1:48, al.; ἀπὸ τότε, Mat.4:17, al.; ἀπὸ πέρυσι, a year ago, 2Co.8:10 9:2; ἀπὸ πρωΐ, Act.28:23; __(6) of order or rank, ἀπὸ διετοῦς, Mat.2:16; ἀπὸ Ἀβραάμ, Mat.1:17; ἐβδομος ἀπὸ Ἀδάμ, Ju 14; ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου, Act.8:10, Heb.8:11; ἄρχεσθαι ἀπό, Mat.20:8, Jhn.8:9, Act.8:35, al. __2. Of origin; __(1) of birth, extraction, and hence, in late writers, __(a) of local extraction (cl. ἐξ; Abbott, JG, 227ff.), Mat.21:11, Mrk.15:43, Jhn.1:45, Act.10:38, al.; οἱ ἀπὸ Ἰταλίας (WM, §66, 6; M, Pr., 237; Westc, Rendall, in l.), Heb.13:24; __(b) of membership in a community or society (BL, §40, 2), Act.12:1, al.; __(with) of material (= cl. genitive; Bl. l.with; M, Pr., 102), Mat.3:4 27:21; __(d) after verbs of asking, seeking, etc., Luk.11:50, 51 1Th.2:6 (Milligan, in l.); __(2) of the cause, instrument, means or occasion (frequently = ὑπό, παρά, and after verbs of learning, hearing, knowing, etc.; Bl., §40, 3), Mat.7:16 11:29, Luk.22:45, Act.2:22 4:36 9:13 12:14, 1Co.11:23, Gal.3:2, al.; ἀπὸ τ. ὄχλου, Luk.19:3 (cf. Jhn.21:6, Act.22:11); ἀπὸ τ. φόβου, Mat.14:26, al. (cf. Mat.10:26 13:44). __3. Noteworthy Hellenistic phrases: φοβεῖσθαι ἀπό (M, Pr., 102, 107); προσέχειν ἀπό (M, Pr., 11. with; Milligan, NTD, 50); ἀπὸ νότου (Heb. מִגֶּנֶב), Rev.21:13; ἀπὸ προσώπου (מִפְּנֵי), 2Th.1:9 (Bl., §40, 9); ἀπὸ τ. καρδιῶν (בְּלֵב), Mat.18:35; ἀπὸ ὁ ὤν (WM, §10, 2; M, Pr., 9), Rev.1:4. __4. In composition, ἀπό denotes separation, departure, origin, etc. (ἀπολύω, ἀπέρχομαι, ἀπογράφω); it also has a perfective force (M, Pr., 112, 247), as in ἀφικνεῖσθαι, which see (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 600 NT verses. KJV: (X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with See also: 1 Corinthians 1:3; Acts 8:10; 1 Peter 1:12.
αυτων autos G846 "it/s/he" Pron-GPM
This pronoun refers to a person or thing, like 'he', 'she', or 'it'. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a person or thing, like in John 2:25 where it says 'he himself knew'.
Definition: αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). __1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); __(1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; MM, see word); __(2) emphatic, he, she, it (M, Pr., 86; Bl., §48, 1, 2, 7), Mat.1:21, 12:50, Luk.6:35, al.; pointing to some one as master (cl.), Mat.8:24, Mrk.4:38, al.; αὐ., καὶ αὐ. = οὗτος, ὁ δε (BL, §48, 1), Mat.14:2, Mrk.14:15, 44, Luk.1:22, 2:28, al. __2. In oblique cases (cl.), for the simple pron. of 3rd of person(s), he, she, it, Mat.7:9, 10:12, 26:44, al.; with ptcp. in genitive absol., Mat.9:18, Mrk.13:1, al. (for irreg. constructions, V. Bl., §74, 5); pleonastically after the relative (cf. Heb. אֲשֶׁר לוֹ; WM, 184ff.; Bl., §50, 4; MM, see word), Mrk.7:25, Rev.3:8, 7:2, al.; in constr. ad sensum, without proper subject expressly indicated, Mat.4:23, Act.8:5, 2Co.2:13, al.; genitive αὐτοῦ = ἐκείνου, Rom.11:11, 1Th.2:19, Tit.3:5, Heb.2:4. __3. ὁ, ἡ, τὸ αὐ., the same: Heb.1:12, 13:8; τὸ αὐ., ποιεῖν, Mat.5:46, 47, al.; φρονεῖν, Rom.12:16, 15:5, Php.2:2, al.; τὰ αὐ., Act.15:27, Rom.2:1, al.; κατὰ τὸ (τὰ) αὐ. (MM, see word), Act.14:1, Luk.6:23, al.; ἐπὶ τὸ αὐ., together (MM, see word), Mat.22:34, Act.1:15, al.; ἓν κ. τὸ αὐ., 1Co.11:5, 12:11; with dative (cl.), 1Co.11:5; with a noun, λόγος, Mrk.14:39; μέτρος, Php.1:30; πνεῦμα, 1Co.12:4. (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 3773 NT verses. KJV: her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which See also: 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 John 3:10; 1 Peter 1:3.
αγελη agelē G34 "herd" Noun-NSF
A herd refers to a group of animals, like pigs or cattle, as seen in Matthew 8:30-32 and Mark 5:11. Jesus often used herds in his parables to teach spiritual lessons.
Definition: ἀγέλη, -ης, ἡ (ἄγω), [in LXX chiefly for עֵ֫דֶר ;] a herd: Mat.8:30-32, Mrk.5:11, 13, Luk.8:32,33.† (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 7 NT verses. KJV: herd See also: Luke 8:32; Mark 5:13; Matthew 8:32.
χοιρων choiros G5519 "pig" Noun-GPM
A hog or pig, mentioned in the Bible as unclean animals, appears in stories like Matthew 7:6 and Luke 15:15-16.
Definition: χοῖρος, -ου, ὁ [in Sm.: Isa.65:4 66:3 ;] a swine: pl., Mat.7:6 8:30-32, Mrk.5:11-13, 16, Luk.8:32-33 15:15-16 † (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 13 NT verses. KJV: swine See also: Luke 8:32; Mark 5:13; Matthew 8:32.
πολλων polus G4183 "much" Adj-GPM
This word means much or many, and is used to describe things like large crowds, as in Mark 5:24, or a great amount of time, as in Matthew 25:19. It emphasizes the magnitude of something.
Definition: πολύς, πολλή, πολύ, [in LXX chiefly for רַב and cognate forms ;] __1. as adj., much, many, great, of number, space, degree, value, time, etc.: ἀριθμός, Act.11:21; ὄχλος, Mrk.5:24; θερισμός, Mat.9:37; χόρτος, Jhn.6:10; χρόνος, Mat.25:19; γογγυσμός, Jhn.7:12; πόνος, Col.4:13; δόξα, Mat.24:30; σιγή, Act.21:40; pl., προφῆται, Mat.13:17; ὄχλοι, Mat.4:25; δαιμόνια, Mrk.1:34; δυνάμεις, Mat.7:22, __2. As subst., pl. masc, πολλοί, many (persons): Mat.7:22, Mrk.2:2, al.; with genitive partit., Mat.3:7, Luk.1:16, al.; before ἐκ, Jhn.7:31, Act.17:12; with art., οἱ π., the many, Mat.24:12, Rom.12:5, 1Co.10:17, 33 2Co.2:17; opposite to ὁ εἶς (Lft., Notes, 291), Rom.5:15, 19; neut. pl., πολλά: Mat.13:3, Mrk.5:26, al.; accusative with adverbial force, Mrk.1:45, Rom.16:6 (Deiss., LAE, 317), 1Co.16:12, Jas.3:2, al.; neut. sing., πολύ: Luk.12:48; adverbially, Mrk.12:27, al.; πολλοῦ (genitive pret.), Mat.26:9; with compar. (Bl., §44, 5), π. σπουδαιότερον, 2Co.8:22; πολλῷ πλείους, Jhn.4:41. Compar., πλείων, neut., πλεῖον and πλέον (see WH, App., 151), pl., πλείονες, -ας, -α, contr., πλείους, -ω (cf. Mayser, 69), more, greater; __1. as adj.: Jhn.15:2, Act.18:2o, Heb.3:3; before παρά, Heb.11:4 (cf. Westc, in l. Was ΠΛΙΟΝΑ here a primitive error for ΗΔΙΟΝΑ ?); pi., Act.13:31, al.; with genitive compar., Mat.21:36; with num. (ἤ of comp. omitted), Act.4:22 24:11, al. __2. As subst., οἱ π., the greater number: Act.10:32 27:12, 1Co.10:5 15:6; also (Bl., §44, 3) others, more, the more: 2Co.2:6 4:15, Php.1:14; πλείονα, Luk.11:53; πλειον, πλέον, Mat.20:10, 2Ti.3:9; with genitive comp., Mk 12:43, Luk.21:3; π. Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε, Mat.12:41; adverbially, Act.4:17 20:9 24:4. __3. As adv., πλεῖον: before ἤ, Luk.9:13; with genitive comp., Mat.5:20; πλείω: with num., Mat.26:53. Superl., πλεῖστος, -η, -ον, __(a) prop., most: Mat.11:20 21:8; adverbially, τὸ π., 1Co.14:27; __(b) elative (M, Pr., 79), very great: ὄχλος π., Mrk.4:1. (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 386 NT verses. KJV: abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly See also: 1 Corinthians 1:26; Acts 23:21; 1 Peter 1:3.
βοσκομενη boskō G1006 "to feed" Verb-PPP-NSF
To feed or pasture animals is the meaning of this word, as seen in Matthew 8:33 and John 21:15. It also refers to spiritual care, like a shepherd feeding his flock.
Definition: βόσκω, [in LXX for רעה ;] prop., of a herdsman, to feed: Mat.8:33, Mrk.5:14, Luk.8:34 15:15; metaphorically, of Christian pastoral care, Jhn.21:15, 17. Pass., of cattle, to feed, graze: Mat.8:30, Mrk.5:11, Luk.8:32.† SYN.: ποιμαίνειν, to tend, shepherd, a wider term, including oversight as well as feeding (see Tr., Syn., §xxv). (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 9 NT verses. KJV: feed, keep See also: John 21:15; Luke 15:15; Matthew 8:33.

Study Notes — Matthew 8:30

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Deuteronomy 14:8 as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.
2 Leviticus 11:7 And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
3 Mark 5:11 There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding.
4 Isaiah 65:3–4 to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick, sitting among the graves, spending nights in secret places, eating the meat of pigs and polluted broth from their bowls.
5 Luke 8:32 There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission.
6 Isaiah 66:3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
7 Luke 15:15–16 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.

Matthew 8:30 Summary

This verse tells us that there was a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance, which becomes important because the demons asked Jesus to send them into the pigs. This event shows us that Jesus has authority over all things, including the spiritual realm, as seen in other accounts like Mark 1:23-26 and Luke 4:33-36. Just like the pigs were going about their everyday business, we can trust that God is always at work in our lives, even when we're not directly aware of it, as noted in Romans 8:28 and Matthew 10:29-31. By trusting in Jesus' authority and power, we can find peace and protection in the midst of life's challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Bible mention a herd of pigs in this verse?

The pigs are mentioned because the demons requested to be sent into them, as seen in Matthew 8:31, and this event ultimately led to the destruction of the pigs, illustrating the power and authority of Jesus Christ, as noted in Matthew 8:32 and also seen in other accounts like Luke 8:32-33.

What is the significance of the location of the pigs?

The location of the pigs, in the distance, may indicate that they were not the primary focus of Jesus' attention at that moment, but rather the demon-possessed men, as stated in Matthew 8:28-29, and the event with the pigs served to demonstrate Jesus' authority over the spiritual realm, similar to other accounts like Mark 5:1-20.

Does this verse imply that Jesus was responsible for the destruction of the pigs?

While Jesus did give the demons permission to enter the pigs, as seen in Matthew 8:32, it was the demons' influence that ultimately led to the pigs' destruction, highlighting the destructive nature of evil spirits, as also seen in Job 1:12 and 1 Samuel 16:14-15.

What can we learn from the fact that the pigs were feeding in the distance?

The fact that the pigs were feeding in the distance may serve as a reminder that even in the midst of spiritual battles, like the one described in Ephesians 6:12, everyday life continues, and God is always at work, even when we are not directly aware of it, as noted in Romans 8:28 and Matthew 10:29-31.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse remind me of the authority and power of Jesus Christ in my own life?
  2. What are some areas in my life where I need to surrender to Jesus' authority, just like the demons were forced to surrender in this account?
  3. In what ways can I trust God to be at work, even when I am not directly aware of it, just like the pigs feeding in the distance?
  4. How can I apply the lesson of the destructive nature of evil spirits to my own spiritual battles, and seek God's protection and guidance, as seen in Psalm 91:1-4?

Gill's Exposition on Matthew 8:30

And there was a good way off from them,.... "Nigh unto the mountains", as Mark says, or "on the mountain", as Luke, bordering on the sea shore; so that though it was at some distance, yet within sight.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 8:30

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Matthew 8:30

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Trapp's Commentary on Matthew 8:30

30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. Ver. 30. A herd of many swine feeding] Suillo pecori anima pro sale data, saith Varro. Swinish epicures also have their souls but for salt to keep their bodies from putrifying. That was a rotten speech of Epicurus, that life eternal was nothing else but an eternal gormandizing, and swilling, and swallowing of nectar and ambrosia. The kingdom of God is another manner of thing than meat and drink, Romans 14:17. The devil desired to enter into the swine, because of their greediness. Eat not greedily, for this is os porci habere, to have the mouth of a pig, as that pope is said to have. Drink not to drunkenness; for this sin robs a man of himself, and lays a swine in his room. No creature, besides man, will be drunk, but swine: and not swine either, but as they are conversant about men; for wild swine will not, they say. Epicuri de grege, porci, κραιπαληνκαιμεθηναιωνιονωστεαπανταχρονονδιαγεινμεθυοντας.

Ellicott's Commentary on Matthew 8:30

(30) An herd of many swine.—We are surprised at first to find swine kept in a country where their flesh could not be an article of food. But though the Jews did not eat pork, Roman soldiers did, and the swine may have been kept to supply the wants of the legion with which the man was familiar. The pun of Augustus as to Herod’s swine and son (see Note on Matthew 2:16) seems to imply that the king kept them on his estates for some such purpose.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Matthew 8:30

Verse 30. A herd of many swine] These were in all probability Jewish property, and kept and used in express violation of the law of God; and therefore their destruction, in the next verse, was no more than a proper manifestation of the justice of God.

Cambridge Bible on Matthew 8:30

28–34. The Gadarene Demoniacs. St Mark 5:1-20; St Luke 8:26-39 St Mark and St Luke make mention of one demoniac only. St Mark relates the incident at greater length and with more particularity. St Matthew omits the impossibility of binding him with chains, the absence of clothing, the wild cries night and day, the name “legion,” the prayer not to be sent into the “abyss” (Luke), the request of one of the demoniacs to be with Jesus, and the charge which Jesus gives him to tell his friends what great things the Lord had done for him.

Whedon's Commentary on Matthew 8:30

§ 42. — FIFTH MIRACLE — TWO , Matthew 8:28-34.Matthew pursues our Lord’s course across the lake, in order to narrate a miracle which displays our Lord’s authority over the powers of hell, as this

Sermons on Matthew 8:30

SermonDescription
Bill McLeod To What Purpose by Bill McLeod In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of living a life focused on Christ rather than material possessions. He references the teachings of John Wesley, who advocated
Ian Murray Spiritual Religion by Ian Murray In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of handling the word of God with sincerity and genuine love for scripture. He warns that simply preaching orthodox teachings d
Jonathan Edwards The Portion of the Wicked by Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards preaches about the justice of God in allotting indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish to wicked men, emphasizing that their sinful nature and refusal to repe
Thomas Brooks The Fool's Bauble, the Fool's Fiddle by Thomas Brooks Thomas Brooks warns against the folly of indulging in sin, describing it as the 'fool's bauble' and 'fool's fiddle.' He emphasizes that fools take delight in wickedness, treating s

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