Matthew 12:43

“When ¹  an unclean spirit ²  goes out of a person, ³  it passes through waterless places ⁴  looking for rest but ⁵  does not find it.

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.

"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.

"When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn't find anyone,

But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of a man, goes through dry places looking for rest, and getting it not.

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.

“When ¹  an unclean spirit ²  goes out of a person, ³  it passes through waterless places ⁴  looking for rest but ⁵  does not find it.

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.

³ tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females. This same use occurs in v. 45.

⁴ 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).

⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.