The Meaning of Matthew 12:45 Explained

Matthew 12:45

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.'

Darby: Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits worse than himself, and entering in, they dwell there; and the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. Thus shall it be to this wicked generation also.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Matthew 12:45 Mean?

Study Notes

generation
.
This generation
(Greek - ἀγενεαλόγητος ," the primary definition of which is, "race, kind, family, stock, breed)." (So all lexicons.) That the word is used in this sense because none of "these things," i.e. the world-wide preaching of the kingdom, the great tribulation, the return of the Lord in visible glory, and the regathering of the elect, occurred at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, A.D. 70. The promise is, therefore, that the generation--nation, or family of Israel-- will be preserved unto "these things"; a promise wonderfully fulfilled to this day.

Context Summary

Matthew 12:38-50 - Opposing Or Doing God's Will
It was an evil and adulterous age. It had no spiritual appreciation, and was intent on getting an outward and sensible sign. Nineveh itself would have condemned it. The queen of Sheba, without the advantage attaching to the Hebrew race, appreciated Solomon; but the people of this generation had no appreciation of the Christ. They were nearing the last days of corruption and reprobation. They were a deserted palace given over to demons. Seven demons possessed them and urged them, as they did the swine in Matthew 8:31, to destruction.
But amid the general apostasy, there were faithful souls who recognized Jesus as the Son of God and drew near to hear His words. They recognized His kinship to the Father and revealed their kinship to Him. Let us not look back to Nazareth and Bethany with longing eyes. See Solomon's Song of Solomon 8:1-2. We are privileged to occupy a closer relationship than that of natural birth. See John 1:12-13; Galatians 4:1-6; Romans 8:16. O Brother Christ, make us more like thee! [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 12

1  Jesus reproves the blindness of the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath,
3  by scripture,
9  by reason,
13  and by a miracle
22  He heals a man possessed that was blind and mute;
24  and confronting the absurd charge of casting out demons by Beelzebub,
32  he shows that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall never be forgiven
36  Account shall be made of idle words
38  He rebukes the unfaithful, who seek after a sign,
46  and shows who is his brother, sister, and mother

What do the individual words in Matthew 12:45 mean?

Then it goes and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself having entered in they dwell there becomes the last of the man that worse than the first So it will be also unto generation this the evil
τότε πορεύεται καὶ παραλαμβάνει μεθ’ ἑαυτοῦ ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύματα πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ εἰσελθόντα κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ

πορεύεται  it  goes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πορεύομαι  
Sense: to lead over, carry over, transfer.
παραλαμβάνει  takes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραλαμβάνω  
Sense: to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.
ἑαυτοῦ  itself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
ἑπτὰ  seven 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἑπτά  
Sense: seven.
ἕτερα  other 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἀλλοιόω 
Sense: the other, another, other.
πνεύματα  spirits 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
πονηρότερα  more  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural, Comparative
Root: πονηρός  
Sense: full of labours, annoyances, hardships.
ἑαυτοῦ  than  itself 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
εἰσελθόντα  having  entered  in 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
κατοικεῖ  they  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κατοικέω 
Sense: to dwell, settle.
γίνεται  becomes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ἔσχατα  last 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔσχατος  
Sense: extreme.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπου  man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἐκείνου  that 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.
χείρονα  worse 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural, Comparative
Root: χείρων  
Sense: worse.
τῶν  than  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πρώτων  first 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: πρῶτος  
Sense: first in time or place.
οὕτως  So 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἔσται  it  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
τῇ  unto 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γενεᾷ  generation 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: γενεά  
Sense: fathered, birth, nativity.
ταύτῃ  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
πονηρᾷ  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πονηρός  
Sense: full of labours, annoyances, hardships.