THE HERD OF SWINE
[Sidenote: St. Matthew 8]
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. And,
behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus,
thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to
go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when
they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the
whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and
perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their
ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the
possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet
Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart
out of their coasts.