Casting out demons: can be done from a distance

Casting out demons can be done for example by commanding directly the demons to COME OUT. This can be done by speaking directly to the demons. There are no indications in several biblical accounts that a physical contact would have happened.

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Casting out demons can be done by commanding the demons directly

Without any physical contact:

In several biblical accounts in which a person was commanding a demon to COME OUT, there were no indications that the person had any form of physical contact with the person in whom the demon was, which could indicate that there would have been a relative distance between them when it happened, even though they may have been in the same room for example. 

Mark 9:

When a son was brought to Jesus to have a demon CAST OUT, the son fell on the ground and was rolling, as it is written: "they-brought him to Him. And having-seen Him, the spirit immediately convulsed him. And having-fallen on the ground, he-was-rolling (himself while) foaming-at-the-mouth" (Mark 9:20). The indication that "they-brought him to Him" (Mark 9:20) could suggest that the son would have been nearer physically to Jesus after they brought the son to Him, but the indication that the son "having-fallen on the ground, he-was-rolling (himself while) foaming-at-the-mouth" (Mark 9:20) may suggest that Jesus may not at the same time have had any form of physical contact, as such was also not indicated in the text. A relative distance between them could have been present. Afterward, Jesus simply SPOKE to the demon to COME OUT, as it is written: "Jesus, having-seen that (a) crowd is-running-together-upon (them), rebuked the unclean spirit, SAYING (to) it “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you — come out-of him and enter into him no-longer”. And having-cried-out, and having-convulsed (him) greatly, IT-CAME-OUT" (Mark 9:25-26).

Acts 19:

In another account, it is written about Paul that "handkerchiefs or aprons (were) even BEING-CARRIED-FORTH from his skin to the (ones) being-sick, and the diseases (were) being-released from them, and the evil spirits (were) GOING-OUT" (Acts 19:11-12). There is no indication about the specific distance between "handkerchiefs or aprons" (Acts 19:11) and "the (ones) being-sick" (Acts 19:12), but the text implies a certain distance between them as the handkerchiefs or aprons were "BEING-CARRIED-FORTH" (Acts 19:11) from Paul to the ones being sick. There is no indication that there was a direct contact from the skin of Paul to the ones being sick, as "handkerchiefs or aprons (were) even BEING-CARRIED-FORTH" (Acts 19:11-12) between Paul and those who were sick. 

From a distance not in the same house:

There is a biblical account in which a demon was CAST OUT from a person that would not have been physically present near the person CASTING OUT the demon, and the account may suggest that the person who needed a demon to be CAST OUT would not have been in the same house as the person CASTING OUT the demon.

Mark 7 & Matthew 15:

It is written that a woman "(of) whom her little daughter was-having (an) unclean spirit" (Mark 7:25) came to Jesus when He was in "(a) house" (Mark 7:24). Her little daughter was not present with her as when Jesus said something to the mother, Jesus told the mother to GO and the mother then WENT TO HER HOUSE TO FIND her little daughter there, as it is written: "He-said (to) her, “Because-of this statement, GO — the demon HAS-GONE-OUT of your daughter”. And HAVING-GONE TO HER HOUSE, SHE-FOUND THE CHILD having-been-put on the bed, and the demon HAVING-GONE-OUT" (Mark 7:29-30). If the mother had to go to "HER HOUSE" (Mark 7:30) to find her child, this could suggest that the child would not have been physically present near Jesus when Jesus said these things in the "house" (Mark 7:24) in which He was at the time. The child out of whom the demon HAS-GONE-OUT would have been in another house: in "HER HOUSE" (Mark 7:30) where the mother went to find her child.

There may be further indications of how far the little daughter could have been from Jesus when this happened. At that time the woman came to Jesus, indicating that when she heard about Him she was able to come to Him, implying that she may not have been too far away as there is no indication that she would also have taken a long time to come to Jesus.

Moreover, it is written about Jesus that "He-went from-there to the districts (of) Tyre" (Mark 7:24). The parallel account in Matthew reads that "Jesus withdrew into the regions (of) Tyre and Sidon" (Matthew 15:21). It is written about the mother of the little daughter that she was a "woman having-come-out from those districts" (Matthew 15:22). Her little daughter may have been near those districts in which Jesus was at that time, as her mother would have been "from those districts" (Matthew 15:22).

Furthermore, it is written that this "woman was (a) Greek, (a) Syro-Phoenician (by) nationality" (Mark 7:26). A "Syro-Phoenician" (Mark 7:26) would have been from Phoenicia, a region of the Roman province of Syria, in which "Tyre" (Mark 7:24) would have been one city. Being "Syro-Phoenician (by) nationality" (Mark 7:26), "HER HOUSE" (Mark 7:30) could have been near that region she would have been from, Phoenicia. Her little daughter who was found in her house may have been in one of "the regions" (Matthew 15:21) in which Jesus was at that time. 

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