They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When the Lord came to land, he was met by a man from the town who was possessed by demons. For a long time he had not worn any clothes; he did not live in a house, but among the tombstones. On seeing Jesus he began to shriek; then he fell at his feet and exclaimed at the top of his voice, "Jesus, Son of God Most High, why do you meddle with me? Do not torment me, I beg you." By now Jesus was ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. This spirit had taken hold of him many a time. The man used to be tied with chains and fetters, but he would break his bonds and the demon would drive him into places of solitude. "What is your name?" Jesus demanded. "Legion," he answered, because the demons who had entered him were many. They pleaded with him not to order them back to the abyss. It happened that a large herd of swine was feeding nearby on the hillside, and the demons asked him to permit them to enter the swine. This he granted. The demons then came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd charged down the bluff into the lake, where they drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they took to their heels and brought the news to the town and country roundabout. The people went out to see for themselves what had happened. Coming on Jesus, they found the man from whom the devils had departed sitting at his feet dressed and in his full senses; this sight terrified them. They were told by witnesses how the possessed man had been cured. Shortly afterward, the entire population of the Gerasene territory asked Jesus to leave their neighborhood, for a great fear had seized them; so he got into the boat and went back across the lake.
The man from whom the devils had departed asked to come with him, but he sent him away with the words, "Go back home and recount all that God has done for you." The man went all through the town making public what Jesus had done for him.