Matthew 12:44

Matthew 12:44 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
• New International Version (NIV)Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

Context of Matthew 12:44

42The Queen of the South (Sheba) will stand up [as a witness] at the judgment against this generation, and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and now, something greater than Solomon is here. 43“Now when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it roams through waterless (dry, arid) places in search of rest, but it does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it arrives, it finds the place unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and make their home there. And the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. So will it also be with this wicked generation.” 46While He was still talking to the crowds, it happened that His mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him.

Matthew 12:44 word by word

τότε λέγει· εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου ἐπιστρέψω ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον. καὶ ἐλθὸν εὑρίσκει σχολάζοντα, σεσαρωμένον καὶ κεκοσμημένον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• I will returnἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• houseὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624
• from whenceὅθενhothen · whenceG3606
• I came outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• and whenκαίkai · andG2532
• he is comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• he findethεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• emptyσχολάζωscholazō · be devoted/emptyG4980
• sweptσαρόωsaroō · to sweepG4563
• garnishedκοσμέωkosmeō · to arrangeG2885

Cross-references for Matthew 12:44

• Matthew 12:29Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.
• Luke 11:21When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his belongings are undisturbed and secure.
• John 13:27After [Judas had taken] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly [without delay].”
• Ephesians 2:2in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].
• 1 John 4:4Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind].
• Matthew 13:20The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy;
• Psalms 81:11“But My people would not listen to My voice, And Israel did not [consent to] obey Me.
• Hosea 7:6As they approach their plotting, Their mind burns [with intrigue] like an oven [while they lie in wait]. Their anger smolders all night; In the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
• John 12:6Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor [for he had never cared about them], but because he was a thief; and since he had the money box [serving as treasurer for the twelve disciples], he used to pilfer what was put into it.
• John 13:2It was during supper, when the devil had already put [the thought of] betraying Jesus into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son,
• Acts 5:1Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
• Acts 8:18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
• 1 Corinthians 11:19for [doubtless] there have to be factions among you, so that those who are of approved character may be clearly recognized among you.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies],
• 1 Timothy 6:4he is conceited and woefully ignorant [understanding nothing]. He has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produces envy, quarrels, verbal abuse, evil suspicions,
• 1 John 2:19They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us.

Commentaries on Matthew 12:44

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 44Into my house - The soul of that person from whom he had been expelled by the power of Christ, and out of which he was to have been kept by continual prayer, faith, and watchfulness. He findeth it empty - Unoccupied, , empty of the former inhabitant, and ready to receive a new one: denoting a soul that has lost the life and power of godliness, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Swept and garnished - As signifies to be idle, or unemployed, it may refer…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 43-45Verses 43-45 When the unclean spirit … - The “general sentiment” which our Saviour here teaches is much more easily understood than the illustration which he uses. The Jews had asked a sign from heaven that should decisively prove that he was the Messiah, and satisfy their unbelief. He replies that, though he should give them such a sign a proof conclusive and satisfactory, and though for a time they should profess to believe and apparently reform, yet…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 38-45Verses 38-45 Though Christ is always ready to hear and answer holy desires and prayers, yet those who ask amiss, ask and have not. Signs were granted to those who desired them to confirm their faith, as Abraham and Gideon; but denied to those who demanded them to excuse their unbelief. The resurrection of Christ from the dead by his own power, called here the sign of the prophet Jonah, was the great proof of Christ's being the Messiah. As Jonah was three…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 43-45The Messiah came in victory over evil spirits. But instead of turning back to God, the nation as a whole rejected him. Jesus said that when an evil spirit is cast out, it may return if the person is not ready to resist it. In the same way, judgment would come on this evil generation because they rejected the Messiah (God’s chosen one).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 43-4543-45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, &c.--On this important parable, in connection with the corresponding one (Mt 12:29) see on Lu 11:21-26. A charming little incident, given only in Lu 11:27, 28, seems to have its proper place here. Lu 11:27: And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company--out of the crowd. lifted up her voice and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 12:44

• Demons
• Impenitence
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Regeneration

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Condemn
• Daemon
• Desolation
• Idle
• Judgment
• Restore
• Sin
• Wither
• Adorn

Commentaries on Matthew 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings