Luke 11:25 kjv
And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
Luke 11:25 nkjv
And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.
Luke 11:25 niv
When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
Luke 11:25 esv
And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.
Luke 11:25 nlt
So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order.
Luke 11 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 12:43-45 | “When the unclean spirit comes out of a person... it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings... seven other spirits…” | Direct parallel; emphasizes the danger of spiritual emptiness. |
| 2 Pe 2:20-22 | "For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world... they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse..." | Warning against backsliding and worse spiritual state. |
| Heb 6:4-6 | "For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift... if they then fall away..." | Warning against falling away after initial spiritual experience. |
| Heb 10:26-31 | "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins..." | Severe warning against persistent rebellion after knowing truth. |
| Jn 14:23 | "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." | The spiritual "house" should be occupied by God's presence. |
| Ro 8:9 | "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you." | Believers should be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. |
| 1 Co 6:19 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...?" | Body/person as a temple/dwelling, needs proper occupation. |
| Lk 11:21-22 | "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when a stronger one attacks him and overcomes him..." | Relates to the spiritual battle and need for Christ as the "stronger one." |
| Lk 11:39-41 | "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness." | Jesus' critique of superficial outward cleansing without inner change. |
| Mt 23:27-28 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full..." | Emphasizes the danger of outward piety concealing inner corruption. |
| Ps 23:6 | "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." | God's desire for His people to dwell with Him. |
| Pr 4:23 | "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." | Importance of guarding one's inner spiritual state. |
| Gal 5:16-17 | "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." | Calls for filling life with Spirit-led actions, not just emptiness. |
| Eph 3:17 | "...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..." | Direct call for Christ's active indwelling. |
| Jas 4:7-8 | "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." | Guidance for how to prevent spiritual vacuum and oppose evil. |
| Col 2:6-7 | "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith..." | Emphasizes spiritual growth and being rooted, filling with Christ. |
| Ro 12:2 | "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..." | The mind (spiritual house) must be renewed and filled with righteousness. |
| Php 4:8 | "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable... think about these things." | The necessity of filling the mind and spirit with good things. |
| Jn 15:5-6 | "I am the vine; you are the branches... If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers..." | Emphasizes the need to remain connected and "filled" by Christ. |
| 1 Jn 3:7-10 | "Whoever practices righteousness is righteous... Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil..." | Distinguishes true transformation from superficiality. |
| Zeph 1:12 | "At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, 'The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.'" | Warning against spiritual apathy and emptiness, awaiting judgment. |
| Jer 2:13 | "for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and dug out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." | The folly of choosing spiritual emptiness over God's life-giving presence. |
Luke 11 verses
Luke 11 25 Meaning
Luke 11:25 describes the state of a "house" after an unclean spirit has departed, but before it returns with increased malevolence. The verse specifically notes that the spiritual "house"—representing a person's life or spiritual condition—is found "swept and put in order." This signifies a state of superficial or external cleansing and tidiness, devoid of positive occupation. It highlights a perilous spiritual vacuum; the void left by the expelled spirit has not been filled with God's presence or righteous living, leaving the individual vulnerable to a worse state of spiritual oppression.
Luke 11 25 Context
Luke 11:25 is part of Jesus' response to accusations from certain individuals that He casts out demons by Beelzebul (Lk 11:14-19). Jesus refutes this, demonstrating that His exorcisms are by "the finger of God," signaling the arrival of the Kingdom of God (Lk 11:20). He then employs the analogy of a "strong man" (Lk 11:21-22) to explain how He, a stronger power, overpowers Satan. Following this, He declares, "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (Lk 11:23), setting a stark choice for alignment. The specific warning about the unclean spirit's return in Luke 11:24-26 serves as a parable highlighting the spiritual danger of mere deliverance or outward cleansing without genuine inward transformation and occupation by God's Spirit. The original Jewish understanding viewed desolate places ("waterless places" in Lk 11:24) as dwelling sites for demons. The warning subtly addresses the inadequacy of solely removing evil without establishing righteousness, a potential polemic against external religious adherence (like that practiced by some Pharisees) that might lack true spiritual renewal.
Luke 11 25 Word analysis
- And (καί, kai): Connects this verse to the preceding one, showing a progression of the spirit's return.
- when it comes (ἐλθόν, elthon): A participle indicating the act of returning, from the verb ἔρχομαι (erchomai), "to come." It implies an intentional re-entry after wandering. The spirit has observed the opportunity.
- it finds it (εὑρίσκει, heuriskei): Present tense, "it finds." The act of discovery. The spirit "finds" the conditions it seeks for re-habitation.
- swept (σεσαρωμένον, sesarōmenon): A perfect passive participle from σαρόω (saroō), "to sweep" or "to clean thoroughly by sweeping." The perfect tense suggests a completed action with ongoing results; the house remains swept. As a passive voice, it indicates the action was done to the house. This denotes an external, often superficial, cleansing – a removal of debris.
- and (καί, kai): Conjoins two characteristics of the found "house."
- put in order (κεκοσμημένον, kekosmēmenon): A perfect passive participle from κοσμέω (kosmeō), "to arrange, adorn, decorate." It means to make tidy, presentable, or beautiful. The perfect tense implies a lasting state of being "ordered." This points to neatness or organization, making the "house" seem outwardly appealing or ready.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "swept and put in order": This phrase describes the condition of the house upon the spirit's return. The imagery is of a dwelling that has been cleaned of dirt and tidied up, made neat and inviting. However, the crucial point in the broader context of Luke 11:24-26 is what is missing: the house is not occupied by anything good. It is a vacant, but clean, space. This signifies an external cleansing (like giving up bad habits or living a morally "good" life) without a deeper internal occupation or transformation by the Spirit of God. It highlights a perilous void; superficial moral reform without genuine commitment to Christ leaves one highly susceptible to relapse or worse.
Luke 11 25 Bonus section
- The passage warns against spiritual neutrality or a "vacuum." Nature (and the spiritual realm) abhors a vacuum. If evil is cast out, the space must be filled with God's presence, otherwise, it remains open and susceptible.
- The "swept and put in order" house might represent initial reformation without regeneration, or a phase of moral improvement that does not culminate in faith and abiding in Christ.
- This verse underpins the importance of discipleship after deliverance or conversion. It's not enough to be set free; one must be grounded in Christ and grow spiritually to resist subsequent attacks.
- The perfect tense verbs for "swept" and "put in order" imply a continued state of readiness—the house remains as swept and orderly—highlighting its sustained availability to the returning spirit.
Luke 11 25 Commentary
Luke 11:25 provides a vivid spiritual analogy. After an unclean spirit has been expelled (the "house" is cleansed), this verse details the state it finds upon its return: meticulously swept and put in order. This does not describe a hostile or occupied environment but rather one made attractive for re-entry. The imagery implies that removing evil or sin is insufficient; merely being "clean" or "moral" outwardly creates a spiritual vacuum. True spiritual safety and stability require active occupancy. The cleansed "house" must be filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit, the truth of God's Word, and deeds of righteousness. If left empty, despite its orderly appearance, it becomes more susceptible to a spiritual relapse far worse than the initial condition, because it has been prepared and made inviting for evil, lacking the divine guardianship it needs. This teaches that true deliverance and freedom are not merely about casting out darkness but about consciously inviting in the Light.