Mark 5:20
And he departed¹,
and began² to publish³ in Decapolis
how great things Jesus had done for him:
and all men did marvel⁴.
¹) Went away
²) Started to, made a beginning to.
³) To proclaim after the manner of a herald.
⁴) To be wondered at, to be had in admiration.
Other translations:
And he departed and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten cities] how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were astonished and marveled. [AMP] And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. [ESV] The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town. [MSB] And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. [KJV] So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. [NIV] So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. [NLT] And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. [NKJV]
Some further information:
Decapolis
The name means “ten cities”: deka is ten, and polis is a city.
It is a district on the east and south–east of the Sea of Galilee containing “ten cities,” which were chiefly inhabited by Greeks. It included a portion of Bashan and Gilead, and is mentioned three times in the New Testament (Matthew 4:25; Mark 5:20 and Mark 7:31)
These cities were Scythopolis, i.e., “city of the Scythians,” (ancient Bethshean, the only one of the ten cities on the west of Jordan), Hippos, Gadara, Pella (to which the Christians fled just before the destruction of Jerusalem), Philadelphia (ancient Rabbath–ammon), Gerasa, Dion, Canatha, Raphana, and Damascus.
When the Romans conquered Syria (B.C. 65) they rebuilt, and endowed with certain privileges, these “ten cities,” and the province connected with them they called “Decapolis.”
And he departed, and began to publish
Not only among his friends, to whom Jesus immediately sent him, but in the cities around as well.
The first preacher of Christ there, was one who could testify of his power.
How great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel
Throughout that considerable region did this monument of mercy proclaim his new-found Lord; and some, it is to be hoped, did more than “marvel.”
Now let us reflect on this
May I ask you? Did you talk to anyone about the Lord today?
Not? How did that happen?
We read in this text that that man of Gadara could not stop telling the people in the land of Decapolis that the Lord is good.
Because his heart was full of what the Christ has done for Him, his mouth continued to speak of His love and grace
Could you say nothing of the Lord today because you do not know of His great deeds?
If so, should it stay that way?
Should a man always remain in silence because he cannot tell anything about the Lord?
How could that be?
Would this not be the reason, that your heart is empty of Him, and that you, therefore cannot say anything.
Let’s examine ourselves closely!
It is not the Lord’s fault, if we know nothing to say about His great deeds, which are revealed in the Son of His eternal good pleasure.
The Lord is calling you!
In fact, he does this seriously, kindly and well-meaning.
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