# Matthew 12.43-45

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.</span>
>
> **43. <span class="rl-speech">But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not.</span> 44. Then he saith, <span class="rl-speech">I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.</span>**
>
> 46. While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. 47. And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee. (Matthew 12:41-47, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.</span>
>
> **43. <span class="rl-speech">When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.</span> 44. Then he says, <span class="rl-speech">‘I will return into my house from which I came out,’</span> and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45. Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”**
>
> 46. While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. 47. One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.” (Matthew 12:41-47, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.</span>
>
> **43. <span class="rl-speech">When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.</span> 44. Then he saith, <span class="rl-speech">I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.</span>**
>
> 46. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. (Matthew 12:41-47, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 41. <span class="rl-speech">'Men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, for they reformed at the proclamation of Jonah, and lo, a greater than Jonah here!</span> 42. <span class="rl-speech">'A queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and lo, a greater than Solomon here!</span>
>
> **43. <span class="rl-speech">'And, when the unclean spirit may go forth from the man, it doth walk through dry places seeking rest, and doth not find;</span> 44. <span class="rl-speech">then it saith, I will turn back to my house whence I came forth; and having come, it findeth [it] unoccupied, swept, and adorned:</span> 45. <span class="rl-speech">then doth it go, and take with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having gone in they dwell there, and the last of that man doth become worse than the first; so shall it be also to this evil generation.'</span>**
>
> 46. And while he was yet speaking to the multitudes, lo, his mother and brethren had stood without, seeking to speak to him, 47. and one said to him, 'Lo, thy mother and thy brethren do stand without, seeking to speak to thee.' (Matthew 12:41-47, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G1096 - ginomai](/codex/g1096-ginomai/), *ginomai* (Strong's G1096). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 5.17-18](/codex/matthew-5-17-18/), [Matthew 8.16](/codex/matthew-8-16/).
- [G4151 - pneuma](/codex/g4151-pneuma/), *pneuma* (Strong's G4151). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/), [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Authority to Cast Out Demons](/codex/authority-to-cast-out-demons/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 12](/codex/matthew-12/)
- [Lesson 5.5, After the Yes, Follow-Up and Discipleship](/codex/lesson-5-5-after-the-yes-follow-up-and-discipleship/)
- [Spiritual Warfare](/codex/spiritual-warfare/)

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