Matthew 12:43

Matthew 12:43 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
• New International Version (NIV)“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

Context of Matthew 12:43

41“The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. 42The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”

Matthew 12:43 word by word

Ὅταν δὲ τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, διέρχεται δι᾽ ἀνύδρων τόπων ζητοῦν ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• uncleanἀκάθαρτοςakathartos · uncleanG169
• spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• is goneἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• out ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• he walkethδιέρχομαιdierchomai · to pass throughG1330
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• dryἄνυδροςanudros · waterlessG504
• placesτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• seekingζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• restἀνάπαυσιςanapausis · restG372
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• findethεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
• noneοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Matthew 12:43

• Luke 11:24“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’
• Acts 8:13Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.
• Job 1:7“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”
• Job 2:2“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”
• 1 Peter 5:8Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
• Psalms 63:1O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
• Isaiah 35:6The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.
• Isaiah 41:18I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.
• Ezekiel 47:8Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.
• Amos 8:11“The time is surely coming,” says the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord.
• Matthew 8:29They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”
• Mark 5:7With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!”
• Luke 8:28As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!”

Commentaries on Matthew 12:43

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 43When the unclean spirit - If there had been no reality in demoniacal possessions, our Lord would have scarcely appealed to a case of this kind here, to point out the real state of the Jewish people, and the desolation which was coming upon them. Had this been only a vulgar error, of the nonsense of which the learned scribes and the wise Pharisees must have been convinced, the case not being one in point, because not true, must have been treated by that…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. 43People believed demons liked the dry desert (see Revelation 18:2; compare Isaiah 13:21; 34:14).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 12:43

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

In the dictionaries

• Unclean Spirit
• Adulterous
• Condemn
• Daemon
• Desolation
• Idle
• Judgment
• Restore
• Sin
• Wither

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