Demon Possession in Scripture
Legion: The Gadarene Demoniac
A Multitude of Demons
Description
The account of Legion stands as Scripture's most dramatic demon possession narrative. A man dwelling among tombs, crying out day and night, cutting himself with stones, breaking chains and fetters—controlled by a multitude of unclean spirits who identified themselves as 'Legion, for we are many.' When Jesus commanded the demons to depart, they begged not to be sent into the abyss but into a herd of swine, which then rushed into the sea and drowned. The healed man, clothed and in his right mind, became a witness to Christ's power.
Key Verses
And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.