In chapter five suddenly we are given longer, more detailed stories about Jesus. Having established who Jesus is, Mark now show his continued work in the world.

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Healing of the Gerasene Demoniac.

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes.2When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.3The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain.4In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.5Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.6Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him,7crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me,* Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!”8(He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”)9 He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.”10And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory.

11Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.12And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.”13And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned.14The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened.15As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear.16Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine.17Then they began to beg him to leave their district.18As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.19But he would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”20Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

Go here to read my reflections and comments on this passage.