Luke 11:24

Response to Jesus’ Work

11:24 “When an unclean spirit ¹  goes out of a person, ²  it passes through waterless places ³  looking for rest but ⁴  not finding any. Then ⁵  it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ ⁶ 

Luke 20:46

20:46 “Beware ⁷  of the experts in the law. ⁸  They ⁹  like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings ¹⁰  in the marketplaces and the best seats ¹¹  in the synagogues ¹²  and the places of honor at banquets.

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¹ sn This is a reference to an evil spirit. See Luke 4:33.

² tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

³ sn The background for the reference to waterless places is not entirely clear, though some Jewish texts suggest spirits must have a place to dwell, but not with water (Luke 8:29-31; Tob 8:3). Some suggest that the image of the desert or deserted cities as the places demons dwell is where this idea started (Isa 13:21; 34:14).

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁵ tc ‡ Most mss, including a few early and important ones (Ì⁴⁵ א* A C D W Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat), lack τότε (tote, “then”). Other mss, including some early and important ones (Ì⁷⁵ א² B L Θ Ξ 070 33 579 892 1241 pc co), have the adverb. Although the external evidence better supports the longer reading, the internal evidence is on the side of the shorter, for conjunctions and adverbs were frequently added by copyists to remove asyndeton and to add clarification. The shorter reading is thus preferred. The translation, however, adds “Then” because of English stylistic requirements. NA²⁷ has τότε in brackets indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁶ tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”

⁷ tn Or “Be on guard against.” This is a present imperative and indicates that pride is something to constantly be on the watch against.

⁸ tn Or “of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

⁹ tn Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun by the prior phrase.

¹⁰ sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1642; H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.

¹¹ sn See Luke 14:1-14.

¹² sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.