en_tn/mat/12/44.md

# Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'

This can be translated as a statement rather than a quotation. Alternate translation: "So, the unclean spirit decides to return to the house from which it came."

# to my house from which I came

This is a metaphor for the person in whom the unclean spirit was living. Alternate translation: "to the place I left" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# it finds that house swept out and put in order

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "the unclean spirit finds that someone has swept the house clean and has put everything in the house where it belongs" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive]])

# that house swept out and put in order

Again, "house" is a metaphor for the person in whom the unclean spirit was living. Here, "swept out and put in order" suggests that no one is living in the house. Jesus means when an unclean spirit leaves a person, the person must invite the Holy Spirit to live in him or else the demon will come back. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])