What Does Luke 8:35 Mean in the King James?
Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
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 man is restored to ordinary human presence, seated, clothed, clear-minded, while the people around him are the ones afraid.
THE MEANING
The devils depart, and the man sits at Jesus’ feet, clothed and clear-minded. Release appears through restored presence and dignity. The people who see him are afraid, so the verse holds his restored mind and their fear in the same frame.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that what has ruled or tormented you has become your identity: when the devils depart, the man remains, seated and clear-minded.
THE ROOT
σωφρονοῦντα
sōphronounta
GROWS FROM
σώφρων
sōphrōn
Sound-minded; built from σῶς (sōs, sound or safe) and φρήν (phrēn, mind), it names a mind with judgment intact.
“right mind” in this verse is sōphronounta. The Greek describes a man whose mind is settled and self-possessed. Luke places that restored mind beside his clothing and seated body, making release visible as whole human presence.
ALSO GROWS
sōphrosynē: Sound judgment, moderation, or self-control.
σωφροσύνη
This branch names the measured judgment that the man’s restored state now displays.
sōphronismos: Sound-mindedness or disciplined judgment.
σωφρονισμός
The same word family appears in 2 Timothy 1:7, where sound-mindedness stands alongside power and love.
ἱματισμένον
himatismenon
GROWS FROM
ἱματίζω
himatizō
To clothe or put a garment on; related to ἱμάτιον (himation, garment).
The perfect participle presents him as clothed, with that condition standing in view. Clothing is one of the visible signs of his restoration, alongside his seated posture and sound-mindedness.
ALSO GROWS
himation: A garment or cloak.
ἱμάτιον
The ordinary garment makes the change concrete: the man is visibly covered.
himatismos: Clothing, apparel, or attire.
ἱματισμός
This cognate names dress as a visible condition, echoing the embodied restoration in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Release becomes visible in changed condition: bonds break, a person stands free, and sound-mindedness returns.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.THE THREAD
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.Luke’s σωφρονοῦντα (sōphronounta, being sound-minded) and 2 Timothy’s σωφρονισμοῦ (sōphronismou, sound mind) belong to the same word family. That shared root makes the man’s restoration legible as the return of a settled mind, which 2 Timothy places alongside power and love.
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