Mark 5:9

“What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus asks the possessed man for his name immediately after commanding the unclean spirit to come out. The spirit answers through the man, identifying itself as Legion because it represents a multitude.

The words — Jesus ἐπηρώτα (epērōta), meaning He was asking, the man for his ὄνομα (onoma), meaning [the] name. The entity ἀπεκρίθη (apekrithē), meaning he answered, declaring itself Legion since "we are many."

The thread — The same exchange is recorded in Luke 8:30, while Mark 5:15 notes the man's restored state after the exorcism. Matthew 26:53 later employs the term legion to describe available angelic forces.

Why it lands — The text establishes the spirit's collective nature through a direct question and answer. It requires the reader to recognize the sheer numerical weight of the oppression before the subsequent deliverance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ΚαὶKaiAnd ἐπηρώταepērōtaHe was asking αὐτόν·autonhim;τίtiWhat [is]ὄνομάonoma[the] name σοι;soiof you καὶkaiAnd ἀπεκρίθηapekrithēhe answered λέγειlegeihe says αὐτῷ·autōto him;λεγιὼνlegiōnLegion ὄνομάonoma[is] name μοιmoito Me ὅτιhotibecause πολλοίpolloimany ἐσμεν.esmenwe are.

King James Version

And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

Cross-references

Luke 8:30 “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.
Mark 5:15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Matthew 26:53 Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Matthew 12:45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first. So will it be with this wicked generation.”
Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.