Mark 5:19 Meaning and Explanation
“Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus refuses, sending the man home instead to tell his own people what great things the Lord has done for him.
What Does Mark 5:19 Mean?
It is the only request in the chapter Jesus declines. Instead of a place in the boat he gives the man a commission: "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." In this Gentile region, where his usual call for silence does not apply, Jesus asks for open telling.
Sometimes the Lord's no is a wider yes. The man asked to be with Jesus; Jesus made him a witness for a whole region -- beginning at home, among the people who knew what he had been. And the message assigned him is simply gratitude with a voice: what the Lord has done, and the compassion behind it. Every believer holds at least that sermon.
Mark 5:19 in the Original Language
eleeo (ἐλεέω), 'had compassion' -- to show mercy to one in misery.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 5:19
What does Mark 5:19 mean?
Jesus refuses, sending the man home instead to tell his own people what great things the Lord has done for him.