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?

MATTHEW 8:29KJV
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Matthew 8:29 (KJV)

What does Matthew 8:29 mean?

Matthew 8:29 shows demons recognizing Jesus as the Son of God and expressing fear that He has come to punish them before the appointed time. The verse highlights their awareness of Jesus’ authority and their expectation of future judgment.

In this scene, Jesus has just arrived in the region of the Gadarenes and is confronted by two men possessed by demons. The demons, speaking through the men, cry out to Jesus, calling Him “Son of God” and asking if He has come to torment them ahead of schedule. This moment reveals that even evil spirits know who Jesus is and are afraid of His power over them.

The Greek behind Matthew 8:29

  • υἱός (huios) — “Son”: The demons call Jesus “Son of God,” showing that they recognize His unique relationship with God, even if people around Him do not.
  • βασανίζω (basanizō) — “to torment”: The Greek word here means to torture or cause severe distress. The demons fear that Jesus has the authority to begin their punishment before the final judgment.
  • πρὸ (pro) — “before”: This word signals the demons’ belief that there is a set time for their judgment, and they are surprised and alarmed that Jesus might be acting ahead of that time.

Why Matthew 8:29 matters

  • Matthew 8:29 makes clear that Jesus’ identity as the Son of God is recognized even by supernatural enemies, not just by human followers.
  • The verse shows that the demons have a clear understanding of their own fate and of Jesus’ authority over them, which adds weight to the story’s portrayal of Jesus’ power.
  • This moment connects to the larger theme in Matthew’s Gospel of Jesus’ authority over evil and the spiritual realm, setting the stage for the exorcism that follows.

Where else these words appear

“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.

“before” Greek G4253 · used in 48 verses

  • Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
  • John 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
  • 1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

“hither” Greek G5602 · used in 56 verses

  • Matthew 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
  • Mark 9:5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
  • Luke 23:5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

“out” Greek G2896 · used in 58 verses

  • Matthew 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
  • 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.