Matthew 8:34 (LSB)

Passage

And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.

Nearby Context

Matthew 8:32 And He said to them, “Go!” And coming out, they went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.

Matthew 8:33 Now the herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.

Matthew 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "whole", "city", "came", "meet", "jesus", "pleaded", and "leave". 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 "Now the herdsmen ran away and went...", 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.