Matthew 12:29
New International Version
“Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

New Living Translation
For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

English Standard Version
Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

Berean Standard Bible
Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Berean Literal Bible
Or how is anyone able to enter into the house of the strong man, and to plunder his goods, unless first he binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

King James Bible
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

New King James Version
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

New American Standard Bible
Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

NASB 1995
“Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

NASB 1977
“Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Legacy Standard Bible
Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Amplified Bible
Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.

Christian Standard Bible
How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

American Standard Version
Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For how can a man enter the house of the mighty man and plunder his goods unless first he bind the mighty man? Then he may plunder his house.

Contemporary English Version
How can anyone break into a strong man's house and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can take everything.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.

English Revised Version
Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How can anyone go into a strong man's house and steal his property? First he must tie up the strong man. Then he can go through his house and steal his property.

Good News Translation
"No one can break into a strong man's house and take away his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

International Standard Version
How can someone go into a strong man's house and carry off his possessions without first tying up the strong man? Then he can ransack his house.

Literal Standard Version
Or how is one able to go into the house of the strong man, and to snatch his goods, if first he may not bind the strong man? And then his house he will plunder.

Majority Standard Bible
Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

New American Bible
How can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

NET Bible
How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.

New Revised Standard Version
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered.

New Heart English Bible
Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and carry off his possessions, unless he first bind the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Webster's Bible Translation
Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house, and seize his goods, except he shall first bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.

Weymouth New Testament
Again, how can any one enter the house of a strong man and carry off his goods, unless first of all he masters and secures the strong man: then he will ransack his house.

World English Bible
Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

Young's Literal Translation
'Or how is one able to go into the house of the strong man, and to plunder his goods, if first he may not bind the strong man? and then his house he will plunder.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A House Divided
28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.…

Cross References
Isaiah 49:24
Can the plunder be snatched from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be delivered?

Matthew 12:28
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 12:30
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Mark 3:27
Indeed, no one can enter a strong man's house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.


Treasury of Scripture

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Isaiah 49:24
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?

Isaiah 53:12
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Mark 3:27
No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

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Able Bind Carry Cords Enter Except First Goods House Indeed Masters Plunder Possessions Property Rob Round Secures Seize Spoil Strong Ties Unless
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Able Bind Carry Cords Enter Except First Goods House Indeed Masters Plunder Possessions Property Rob Round Secures Seize Spoil Strong Ties Unless
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.














(29) How can one enter into a strong man's house.--The parable implied in the question appears in a fuller form in Luke 11:21-22. Here it will be enough to note that the "strong man" is Satan. The "house" is the region which is subject to him--i.e., either the world at large, or the spirits of individual men; the "goods" or "instruments" (comp. the "armour" of Luke 11:22) are the demons or subordinate powers of evil by which he maintains his dominion; the "binding of the strong man" is the check given to the tyranny of Satan by emancipating the possessed sufferers from their thraldom; the "spoiling of the house" implies the final victory over him.

Verse 29. - Parallel passages: Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21, 22. Mark is practically identical with Matthew. Luke ("the strong man armed," etc.) is more detailed and vivid, and is perhaps the original form of the saying. Or else; or (Revised Version); i.e. if this be not the case, that the kingdom of God is come upon you, how else do you explain what has happened, the fact of Satan's instruments being taken from him? How can one enter into a strong man's house; the house of the strong man (Revised Version). (For the article, cf. Matthew 1:23, note.) And spoil (ἁρπάσαι) his goods. Carry off his household tools and utensils (τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ). Except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. This is more than merely the conclusion. It is an emphatic statement that he will do this, yes, utterly plunder (διαρπάσει) the whole house. The interpretation of the parable is self-evident: the strong man is Satan; his vessels are those afflicted by him; the one who binds, etc., is Christ. For Christ's appearance and work, even before the Crucifixion and Resurrection, bound Satan in this respect. Observe that there is probably a tacit reference to Isaiah 49:25, which at any rate now received a fulfilment.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
How
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

can
δύναταί (dynatai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

anyone
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

enter
εἰσελθεῖν (eiselthein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.

a strong [man’s]
ἰσχυροῦ (ischyrou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2478: Strong (originally and generally of physical strength); mighty, powerful, vehement, sure. From ischus; forcible.

house
οἰκίαν (oikian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3614: From oikos; properly, residence, but usually an abode; by implication, a family.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

steal
ἁρπάσαι (harpasai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 726: To seize, snatch, obtain by robbery. From a derivative of haireomai; to seize.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

possessions,
σκεύη (skeuē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 4632: A vessel, implement, equipment or apparatus (specially, a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband).

unless
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

{he} first
πρῶτον (prōton)
Adverb - Superlative
Strong's 4412: First, in the first place, before, formerly. Neuter of protos as adverb; firstly.

ties up
δήσῃ (dēsē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1210: To bind, tie, fasten; I impel, compel; I declare to be prohibited and unlawful. A primary verb; to bind.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

strong [man]?
ἰσχυρόν (ischyron)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2478: Strong (originally and generally of physical strength); mighty, powerful, vehement, sure. From ischus; forcible.

Then
τότε (tote)
Adverb
Strong's 5119: Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.

he can plunder
διαρπάσει (diarpasei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1283: To plunder, rob thoroughly. From dia and harpazo; to seize asunder, i.e. Plunder.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

house.
οἰκίαν (oikian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3614: From oikos; properly, residence, but usually an abode; by implication, a family.


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Matthew 12:28
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