Matthew 8:34 (DRB)

Passage

And behold the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their coast.

Nearby Context

Matthew 8:32 And he said to them: Go. But they going out went into the swine, and behold the whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea: and they perished in the waters.

Matthew 8:33 And they that kept them fled: and coming into the city, told every thing, and concerning them that had been possessed by the devils.

Matthew 8:34 And behold the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their coast.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "whole", "city", "went", "meet", "jesus", "besought", and "depart". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "whole", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And they that kept them fled and...", giving immediate footing for "behold" and "whole". In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "whole" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.