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22 But[a] when a stronger man[b] attacks[c] and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s[d] armor on which the man relied[e] and divides up[f] his plunder.[g] 23 Whoever is not with me is against me,[h] and whoever does not gather with me scatters.[i]

Response to Jesus’ Work

24 “When an unclean spirit[j] goes out of a person,[k] it passes through waterless places[l] looking for rest but[m] not finding any. Then[n] it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’[o]

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 11:22 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  2. Luke 11:22 tn The referent of the expression “a stronger man” is Jesus.
  3. Luke 11:22 tn Grk “stronger man than he attacks.”
  4. Luke 11:22 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the first man mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. Luke 11:22 tn Grk “on which he relied.”
  6. Luke 11:22 tn Or “and distributes.”
  7. Luke 11:22 sn Some see the imagery here as similar to Eph 4:7-10, although no opponents are explicitly named in that passage. Jesus has the victory over Satan. Jesus’ acts of healing mean that the war is being won and the kingdom is coming.
  8. Luke 11:23 sn Whoever is not with me is against me. The call here is to join the victor. Failure to do so means that one is being destructive. Responding to Jesus is the issue.
  9. Luke 11:23 sn For the image of scattering, see Pss. Sol. 17:18.
  10. Luke 11:24 sn This is a reference to an evil spirit. See Luke 4:33.
  11. Luke 11:24 tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), referring to both males and females.
  12. Luke 11:24 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).
  13. Luke 11:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  14. Luke 11:24 tc ‡ Most mss, including a few early and significant ones (P45 א* A C D W Ψ ƒ1,13 M lat), lack τότε (tote, “then”). Other mss, including some early and important ones (P75 א2 B L Θ Ξ 070 33 579 892 1241 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. NA28 has τότε in brackets indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  15. Luke 11:24 tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”