44
Thenτότεit says,λέγει‘I will returnἐπιστρέψωtoΕἰςmyμουhouseτὸν οἶκόνfrom whichὅθενI came out.’ἐξῆλθονAndκαὶwhen it comes,ἐλθὸνit finds itεὑρίσκειunoccupied,σχολάζονταswept,σεσαρωμένονandκαὶput in order.κεκοσμημένον
Matthew 12:44
Study it in the app“Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ And when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.”
With the Greek beneath
Matthew 12:44, word by word
- Thenτότεtote
then
Then, at that time.
Where else “tote” appears- it saysλέγειlegei
say
To express something in words to others.
Where else “legei” appears- ‘I will returnἐπιστρέψωepistrepsō
turn back
To turn around, or go back.
Where else “epistrepsō” appears- houseοἶκόνoikon
house
The place where one lives; also the temple, God's dwelling.
Where else “oikon” appears- from whichὅθενhothen
from where
From the place one comes from.
Where else “hothen” appears- I came out.’ἐξῆλθονexēlthon
go out
To leave the place where one was and go outside or elsewhere.
Where else “exēlthon” appears- when it comesἐλθὸνelthon
come
To move to where someone is or to a place, and be present there.
Where else “elthon” appears- it finds itεὑρίσκειheuriskei
find
To come upon something or someone, after searching or by surprise.
Where else “heuriskei” appears- unoccupiedσχολάζονταscholazonta
unoccupied
Empty, with no one living in it.
Where else “scholazonta” appears- sweptσεσαρωμένονsesarōmenon
sweep
Sweep, sweep clean.
Where else “sesarōmenon” appears- put in orderκεκοσμημένονkekosmēmenon
put in order
To set something straight.
Where else “kekosmēmenon” appears
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
The unclean spirit returns
A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.
See them side by side
Matthew 12:43-45
43When the unclean spirit goes out of the man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ And when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it will be also with this evil generation.”
24When the unclean spirit goes out of the person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest; and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ 25And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first.”
The context
43When the unclean spirit goes out of the man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.
44 · This verse (above)
45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it will be also with this evil generation.”
To study Matthew 12 in a group
1. What it says
How did Jesus answer the Pharisees when they criticized his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath (vv. 3–8)?
2. What it means
What does “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” mean in Jesus' reply (v. 7)?
3. How I live it
Jesus says the mouth speaks from the heart's abundance (v. 34). Which of your words today would you like to guard?