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 will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 43“Now when an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places looking for rest and doesn’t find it. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back home where I came from.’ And when it comes, it finds the house vacant, swept clean, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there. And that man’s last condition becomes worse than the first. So also will it be for this evil generation.” 46While Yeshua was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers were standing outside, trying 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 one enter a strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he will thoroughly plunder his house.
• Luke 11:21“When a strong one, fully-armed, protects his own estate, his possessions are safe.
• John 13:27And with that bit, satan entered into him. Then Yeshua tells him, “What you’re about to do, do quickly!”
• Ephesians 2:2At that time, you walked in the way of this world, in conformity to the ruler of the domain of the air—the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience.
• 1 John 4:4You are from God, children, and you have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
• Matthew 13:20“The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
• Psalms 81:11I am Adonai your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
• Hosea 7:6For their hearts are like an oven, as they wait in ambush. All night their anger smolders. In the morning it burns like a blazing fire.
• John 12:6Now he said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. Since he had the moneybox, he used to steal from what was put in it.
• John 13:2While the seder meal was happening, the devil had already put in the heart of Judah from Kriot that he should hand over Yeshua.
• Acts 5:1On the other hand, a man named Ananias together with his wife, Sapphira, sold a property.
• Acts 8:18Now when Simon saw that the Ruach ha-Kodesh was given through the laying on of hands by the emissaries, he offered them money,
• 1 Corinthians 11:19for there must be factions among you, so that those among you who are tried and true may be evident.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the lawless one is connected to the activity of satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
• 1 Timothy 6:4he is prideful, understanding nothing. Instead he is obsessed with arguments and disputes about words—out of which come envy, strife, slander, evil suspicions,
• 1 John 2:19They left us, but they didn’t really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they left us so it became clear that none of them belongs to 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