Mark 1:26

Mark 1:26, in plain English

The evil spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek.

Why it's here

The demon obeyed, but not quietly. It left kicking and screaming. Even in defeat, evil tries to do as much damage as it can—but it still has to leave when Jesus says so.

Who's speaking

Mark describes the dramatic and visible departure of the evil spirit.

Where it sits in the story

It wasn't a gentle exit. But the important thing is that it was an exit. When Jesus commands, even the most violent evil must submit. The man was free.

The scholarly reading

The unclean spirit convulsed (sparaxan) the man and departed with a loud cry (phōnē megalē), demonstrating its malicious nature even in the act of obedience to Jesus' command.

Language and setting

The violent departure served as visible proof that a real spiritual entity had been present and was now expelled. The convulsion was a final act of destructive resistance, not a sign of Jesus' incomplete authority.

Voice

Mark narrates the dramatic and visible departure of the unclean spirit from the man.

Significance

The spirit obeyed Jesus' command—it had no choice—but it left as destructively as it could. The public, dramatic nature of the exorcism made the reality of Jesus' power undeniable to every witness.

24“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

25But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”

26At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.

27All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”

28And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.

Read all of Mark 1 — Mark's favorite word is 'immediately.' His Gospel moves fast, stripping away everything except the urgency of who Jesus is and what He came to do.