Luke 8:28
What does Luke 8:28 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 8:28 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 8:28 means
Luke 8:28 records the man’s reaction when he saw Jesus: he cried out, fell before him, declared Jesus “Son of the Most High God,” and begged not to be tormented. The confession is startling because it comes from a demon-possessed man and acknowledges Jesus’ divine rank. The plea “What have I to do with thee?” echoes demonic recognition of Jesus as judge. The man’s desperate appeal shows the terror that demonic forces feel before Christ’s presence and hints that deliverance will involve confrontation between Jesus and those spirits.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not.
KJV
King James Version · 1611When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when he saw Jesus, he gave a loud cry and went down on the earth before him and in a loud voice said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Do not be cruel to me.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having seen Jesus, and having cried out, he fell before him, and with a loud voice, said, `What--to me and to thee, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I beseech thee, mayest thou not afflict me!'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when he saw Jesus, he fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said: What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I beseech thee, do not torment me.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But seeing Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus Son of the Most HighGod? I beseech thee torment me not.
Context
This verse follows the man’s introduction and reveals immediate spiritual recognition of Jesus’ identity, even from within demonic affliction. It sets up a theological and dramatic clash: demonic acknowledgment of Jesus’ authority precedes their expulsion, and it contrasts the man’s degraded state with the power that Jesus brings.
v.27And when he was come forth upon the land, there met him a certain man out of the city, who had demons; and for a long time he had worn no clothes, and abode not in any house, but in the tombs.
v.28This passage
v.29For he was commanding the unclean spirit to come out from the man. For oftentimes it had seized him: and he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters; and breaking the bands asunder, he was driven of the demon into the deserts.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.
- Mark 5:6
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him;
- James 2:19
Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
- Revelation 20:10
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
- 1 John 3:8
he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
- 2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
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