Mark 5:18-19

5:18 As he was getting into the boat the man who had been demon-possessed asked if he could go ¹  with him. 5:19 But ²  Jesus ³  did not permit him to do so. Instead, he said to him, “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, ⁴  that he had mercy on you.”

[5:18]  ¹ tn Grk “be,” that is, “remain.” In this context that would involve accompanying Jesus as he went on his way.

[5:19]  ² tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[5:19]  ³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:19]  ⁴ sn Jesus instructs the man to declare what the Lord has done for him, in contrast to the usual instructions (e.g., 1:44; 5:43) to remain silent. Here in Gentile territory Jesus allowed more open discussion of his ministry. D. L. Bock (Luke [BECNT], 1:781) suggests that with few Jewish religious representatives present, there would be less danger of misunderstanding Jesus’ ministry as political.