And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

And there was in the synagogue a man having a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried with a loud voice,

And in the synagogue was a man, having a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a great voice,

But in the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of a foul demon. In a loud voice he cried out,

And there was a man in the Synagogue who had an unclean spirit; and he gave a loud cry and said,

In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he shouted with a loud voice,

In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of a foul demon in him, who called out loudly,

A man having a spirit of an unclean devil. This mode of expression, which Luke employs, conveys the idea, that the man was driven by the impulse of the devil. By the permission of God, Satan had seized the faculties of his soul in such a manner, as to drive him not only to speak, but to perform other movements, at his pleasure. And thus, when the demoniacs speak, the devils, who have received permission to tyrannise, speak in them and by them. The title, Holy One of God, was probably taken from a manner of speaking, which was, at that time, in ordinary and general use. The Messiah was so called, because he was to be distinguished and separated from all others, as endued with eminent grace, and as the Head of the whole Church.

A spirit of an unclean devil - As demon was used both in a good and bad sense before and after the time of the evangelists the word unclean may have been added here by St. Luke, merely to express the quality of this spirit. But it is worthy of remark, that the inspired writers never use the word δαιμων, demon, in a good sense. See the whole of this case explained, Mark 1:23 (note), etc.

And in the synagogue there was a man,.... That is, in the synagogue at Capernaum, as Christ was there teaching, on one of the sabbath days before mentioned; there was a certain man,
which had a spirit of an unclean devil: who was possessed with the devil, who is by nature and practice unclean; and was filled with the spirit of the devil, with a spirit of divination, and was acted by him, to impose upon the people; he influenced his mind as an enthusiast, as well as possessed his body: and this was on the sabbath day; whereas the Jews say (y), that
"Satan and the evil demon flee on the sabbath day to the mountains of darkness, and do not appear all the sabbath day, because that day is holy, and they are "unclean"; but in the evening of the sabbath they prepare themselves, and meet the children of men, and hurt them.''
And cried out with a loud voice; See Gill on Mark 1:23.
(y) Ib pr. affirm, 29.

DEMONIAC HEALED. (Luke 4:33-37)
unclean--The frequency with which this character of impurity is applied to evil spirits is worthy of notice.
cried out, &c.--(See Matthew 8:29; Mark 3:11).

In the synagogue was a man. See notes on Mark 1:21-27. Matthew omits this account.