What Does Luke 8:32 Mean in the King James?
And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse turns on permission: the spirits ask to enter the herd, and Jesus grants that entry.
THE MEANING
The spirits appeal for entry into the herd, and Jesus permits it. The animals remain plainly in view: this permission concerns living bodies, not an abstract boundary.
THE ROOT
ἐπέτρεψεν
epetrepsen
GROWS FROM
ΤΡΕΠ
trep
Turn; in the compound epitrepō, turn something over or entrust it, hence permit or allow.
The KJV’s “suffer” here carries its older sense of “permit.” The Greek makes permission the hinge: the spirits request entry, and Jesus grants it.
ALSO GROWS
trepō: Turn, direct, or change direction.
τρέπω
This is the root’s basic movement; in the compound verb, turning something over can carry the sense of allowing it to another.
epitrepo: Permit, allow, or entrust.
ἐπιτρέπω
This is the verb used when Jesus grants the requested entry.
παρεκάλουν
parekaloun
GROWS FROM
ΚΑΛ
kal
Call; in parakaleō, the call becomes an appeal or urging.
“Besought” can sound like a distant, formal plea, while the Greek imperfect presents an ongoing appeal. The verse sets that continuing appeal beside Jesus’ decisive permission.
ALSO GROWS
kaleō: Call or invite.
καλέω
The appeal begins as a call directed toward Jesus.
paraklēsis: Appeal, entreaty, or encouragement.
παράκλησις
This related noun shows the same word family carrying the sense of an appeal.
THE PATTERN
A crossing of a boundary is shown as subject to permission and bounded by an authority beyond the one seeking entry.
And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.THE THREAD
And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.Luke 9:59 uses the same Greek verb, ἐπιτρέπω (epitrepo), translated “suffer” in “suffer me first.” There a person asks leave to depart; here the spirits ask leave to enter, revealing the same request-and-permission structure beneath two different scenes.
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