Οἱ δὲ δαίμονες παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς, ἐπίτρεψον ἡμῖν ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων. (Matthew 8:31)
But the demons were begging him, saying: If you cast us out, permit us to go into the herd of pigs.
The Setting of the Request
In Matthew 8:31, the demons, confronted by Jesus’ authority, beg for permission: οἱ δὲ δαίμονες παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς, ἐπίτρεψον ἡμῖν ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων.
The syntax of this verse communicates both desperation and subordination. Their plea is couched in a conditional structure (εἰ ἐκβάλλεις) combined with an aorist imperative (ἐπίτρεψον), creating a striking scene of powerless spirits bargaining before the Son of God. Grammar here captures the imbalance of power: the demons can only beg, not command.
Key Verbs and Their Forms
- παρεκάλουν — “they were begging”: imperfect active indicative, 3rd plural of παρακαλέω. The imperfect conveys continual or repeated pleading.
- ἐκβάλλεις — “you cast out”: present active indicative, 2nd singular of ἐκβάλλω. Used in the conditional protasis.
- ἐπίτρεψον — “allow/permit”: aorist active imperative, 2nd singular of ἐπιτρέπω. A decisive request for authorization.
- ἀπελθεῖν — “to go away”: aorist active infinitive of ἀπέρχομαι. Dependent on ἐπίτρεψον, expressing the desired action.
Table of Verbal Parsing
| Greek Verb | Form | Parsing | Aspect | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| παρεκάλουν | Verb | Imperfect act. ind., 3rd pl. of παρακαλέω | Imperfective | “they were begging” |
| ἐκβάλλεις | Verb | Present act. ind., 2nd sg. of ἐκβάλλω | Imperfective | “you cast out” |
| ἐπίτρεψον | Verb | Aorist act. imperative, 2nd sg. of ἐπιτρέπω | Perfective | “allow/permit” |
| ἀπελθεῖν | Verb | Aorist act. infinitive of ἀπέρχομαι | Perfective | “to go away” |
The Conditional Clause: Εἰ + Indicative
The demons’ plea begins with a conditional clause: Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς — “If you cast us out.” This construction, εἰ with the present indicative, is a first-class condition. It assumes the condition as real for the sake of argument: they recognize Jesus’ power and inevitability. The indicative verb ἐκβάλλεις portrays the action as a current reality — Jesus is indeed casting them out. Their request is therefore framed not in doubt, but in acknowledgment of his authority.
The Imperative of Permission: ἐπίτρεψον
The main plea is in the aorist imperative: ἐπίτρεψον ἡμῖν — “allow us.” Unlike the imperfective imperative, which could stress ongoing permission, the aorist imperative here demands a single, decisive authorization. The demons know they cannot act apart from Jesus’ will. The dative ἡμῖν (“to us”) indicates the indirect object, the beneficiaries of this permission.
Attached to the imperative is the infinitive ἀπελθεῖν (“to go away”), expressing the specific action they seek leave to do. This infinitive construction depends on ἐπίτρεψον and fills in the content of their request: to depart into the herd of pigs.
Lexical Focus: ἀγέλη τῶν χοίρων
The demons’ desired destination is εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων — “into the herd of pigs.” The word ἀγέλη refers to a group of animals, often herds or flocks. Combined with τῶν χοίρων (“of pigs”), the phrase reflects a setting culturally loaded with impurity for Jewish audiences. Theologically, the request underscores the unclean spirits’ affinity with unclean animals, further highlighting the symbolic clash between Jesus’ holiness and the forces of impurity.
Theological and Narrative Implications
This verse dramatizes the cosmic imbalance of power. The demons, who torment humans, are here reduced to begging for permission. The imperfect παρεκάλουν paints them as repeatedly pleading, while the aorist imperative ἐπίτρεψον shows that all authority lies with Jesus. The conditional εἰ ἐκβάλλεις is not hypothetical doubt but recognition of inevitable defeat.
Theologically, the request reflects the sovereignty of Christ: even the demonic must seek leave to act. Their plea to enter pigs may symbolize displacement — from human beings (God’s image-bearers) to animals deemed unclean. The narrative irony is palpable: powers once feared now cower and negotiate.
Grammar that Reveals Authority
Matthew 8:31 is a verse where grammar and theology converge. The imperfect tense of constant pleading, the conditional clause of recognition, the aorist imperative of request, and the infinitive of desired action — together these structures narrate subjugation. The demons, who once enslaved, now beg. Greek syntax reveals Christ’s supremacy: every verb bends toward the authority of the one before whom they must plead. Grammar, here, is theology in motion — showing that the kingdom of God advances not by negotiation, but by the word of Christ’s command.
