1 tn One could also translate the imperfect tense here with a repetitive force like “begged him repeatedly.”
2 tn Or “command.”
3 tn This word, ἄβυσσος (abusso"), is a term for the place where the dead await the judgment. It also could hold hostile spirits according to Jewish belief (Jub. 5:6-7; 1 En. 10:4-6; 18:11-16).
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
5 tc See the tc note on “Gerasenes” in v. 26 for the same geographical options for the textual variants.
6 tn Grk “all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes,” but according to L&N 1.80, “περίχωρος may include not only the surrounding region but also the point of reference, for example…‘the Gerasenes and the people living around them’ Lk 8:37.”
7 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Or “to depart from them.”
9 sn Again there is great fear at God’s activity, but there is a different reaction. Some people want nothing to do with God’s presence. Mark 5:16 hints that economic reasons motivated their request.
10 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ departure was the result of the Gerasenes’ response. A new sentence was started in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.
11 tn Grk “returned,” but the effect is that he departed from the Gerasene region.