¹ tn Grk “comes.”

² tn The words “the house” are not in Greek but are implied.

³ sn The image of the house swept clean and put in order refers to the life of the person from whom the demon departed. The key to the example appears to be that no one else has been invited in to dwell. If an exorcism occurs and there is no response to God, then the way is free for the demon to return. Some see the reference to exorcism as more symbolic; thus the story’s only point is about responding to Jesus. This is possible and certainly is an application of the passage.

⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀληθῶς, alhqw"), I say to you.”

⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See also Luke 19:11-27.

⁶ sn These two small copper coins were lepta (sing. “lepton”), the smallest and least valuable coins in circulation in Palestine, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius, or about six minutes of an average daily wage. This was next to nothing in value.