And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

MARK 5:7KJV
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Mark 5:7 (KJV)

What does Mark 5:7 mean?

Mark 5:7 describes an unclean spirit speaking through a man and pleading with Jesus not to cause it pain. The spirit recognizes Jesus as the Son of the most high God and reacts to his presence with alarm.

The question “What have I to do with thee?” expresses resistance, rather than a request for information. Jesus has ordered the unclean spirit to come out of the man (verse 8), which helps explain the spirit’s protest.

The Greek behind Mark 5:7

  • “adjure” — ὁρκίζω (horkizō): This means to put someone under an oath. The spirit invokes God’s name while urgently asking Jesus not to torment it.
  • “torment” — βασανίζω (basanizō): This word carries the sense of causing severe pain or distress. The plea presents the spirit as afraid of what Jesus might do to it.

Why Mark 5:7 matters

  • The voice is the spirit’s, though the man cries out. Mark 5:2 identifies the man as having an unclean spirit, and verse 8 records Jesus addressing that spirit.
  • The title “Son of the most high God” shows that the spirit identifies Jesus in relation to God. The title appears alongside a plea for relief, not a welcome.
  • The passage later reveals more than one spirit in the man. In Mark 5:9, the speaker gives the name “Legion” and says, “we are many.”

Where else these words appear

“adjure” Greek G3726 · used in 3 verses

  • Acts 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

“torment” Greek G928 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
  • Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
  • Revelation 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

“high” Greek G5310 · used in 13 verses

  • Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
  • Luke 1:76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
  • Luke 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

“cried” Greek G2896 · used in 58 verses

  • Matthew 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
  • Mark 15:13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.
  • Acts 19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.