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 Living Translation (NLT)Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.

Context of Matthew 12:44

42The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 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. 45Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” 46While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with 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 one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
• Luke 11:21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.
• John 13:27Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
• Ephesians 2:2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
• 1 John 4:4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
• Matthew 13:20But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
• Psalms 81:11“But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.
• Hosea 7:6They prepare their heart like an oven, While they lie in wait; Their baker sleeps all night; In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
• John 12:6This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
• John 13:2And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him,
• Acts 5:1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
• Acts 8:18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
• 1 Corinthians 11:19For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
• 1 Timothy 6:4he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
• 1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were 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