Location
Overview
The "country of the Gadarenes" (also called the Gergesenes/Gerasenes) lay east of the Sea of Galilee in the Decapolis, a largely Gentile region. There Jesus met a man no chains could hold.
The demoniac among the tombs
A man "with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs," fierce and self-wounding, ran and worshipped Jesus. The legion of demons begged not to be sent away (Mark 5:1–10).
The legion and the swine
Jesus sent the demons into a great herd of swine, and "the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea... and were choked" (Mark 5:13). The man was found "sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind" (Mark 5:15).
A witness sent home
Though the frightened people begged Jesus to leave, he told the healed man, "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee," and he proclaimed it through the Decapolis (Mark 5:18–20).
Events Here
Jesus casts a legion of demons into the swine among the Gadarenes
Scripture References
4 versesMatthew1 verse
Matthew 8:28
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.
Mark1 verse
Mark 5:1
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
Luke2 verses
Archaeology & History
The episode is set in the Gentile Decapolis east of the lake; the Gospels' three names reflect the district (Gadara, the city at Umm Qais in Jordan), a town (Gergesa, often placed at Kursi on the eastern shore where a steep slope meets the water), and Gerasa. The varied names point to the same lakeside region of the swine miracle.
Frequently asked about Gadara (the Gadarenes)
Where is Gadara (the Gadarenes) today?
Today, Gadara (the Gadarenes) corresponds to Umm Qais, Jordan (and the eastern lakeshore).
What happened at Gadara (the Gadarenes) in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Gadara (the Gadarenes) include jesus casts a legion of demons into the swine among the gadarenes.
Where is Gadara (the Gadarenes) first mentioned in the Bible?
Gadara (the Gadarenes) is first mentioned in Matthew 8:28.
How often is Gadara (the Gadarenes) mentioned in the Bible?
Gadara (the Gadarenes) is mentioned in 4 verses across 3 books: Matthew, Mark, Luke.
What happened in the country of the Gadarenes?
Jesus freed a man possessed by a legion of demons, sending the demons into a herd of pigs that rushed into the sea and drowned. The healed man became a witness throughout the Decapolis.
Why is it called both Gadarenes and Gerasenes?
The manuscripts and Gospels use different names (Gadarenes, Gergesenes, Gerasenes) for the same Gentile region east of the Sea of Galilee — reflecting the district, a nearby town, and a city.