unclean spirit / evil spirit

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated/transliterated in English as “unclean spirit” or “evil spirit” is translated in Paasaal it is translated as gyɩŋbɔmɔ, which is also the term used for “demon.” Wyɩŋbɔmɔ are “beings that are in the wild and can only be seen when they choose to reveal themselves to certain people. They can ‘capture’ humans and keep them in hiding while they train the person in herbalism and divination. After the training period, which can range from a week to many years, the ‘captured’ individual is released to go back into society as a healer and a diviner. The gyɩŋbɔmɔ can also be evil, striking humans with mental diseases and causing individuals to get lost in the wild. The Pasaale worldview about demons is like that of others of the language groups in the area.” (Source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)

Note that often the words for “demon” “unclean spirit” are being used interchangeably.

complete verse (Matthew 12:43)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 12:43:

  • Uma: “‘ Evil people who live at this time can be compared to a person who is possessed [lit., entered-into] by an evil-spirit. The evil-spirit goes out from that person, and wandered around in the wilderness/empty-place hunting for a dwelling-place. Because he did not find one, he said: ‘I’d better just return going to the dwelling-place that I left behind earlier.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘If a demon comes out of a person,’ said Isa, ‘he walks about in the lonely place looking for a resting place, but he doesn’t find one.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If a demon goes out of the person that he has been afflicting, he goes out into dry country because he is looking for a place to live. If he doesn’t find any,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus continued, parabling, ‘When an evil-spirit who has possessed a person leaves, it goes-about in a stony-area that has no water searching for a place-for-itself-to-rest. And if it doesn’t find any,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For supposing an evil spirit comes out of the person he has been possessing, what this evil spirit will do is just wander about in the wilderness, looking for someone else to possess. Well if he doesn’t find anyone,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the evil spirit when he has separated from the person he walked with, he will travel in the place which is extremely dry, hunting for a place to rest. But if he does not find a place to rest he will say:” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 12:43

The sentence begins with When, but it is really a hypothetical sentence. The present tense in this short narrative indicates that this kind of happening is what commonly takes place. Translators will have to determine how to express this in their own languages. It can be rendered “If an unclean spirit leaves…” or “On those occasions when…,” or even “Suppose an evil spirit leaves a person, what happens? It travels through….”

The unclean spirit: since no unclean spirit has been mentioned yet in the context, it will be better to use the indefinite article “an” (Good News Translation, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) than to retain the of the Greek text. Unclean spirit (Good News Translation “evil spirit”) is the same expression used in 10.1, except for the plural form in the earlier passage.

The text does not say whether this evil spirit was thrown out of a person or left voluntarily. Most translators do follow the text, has gone out, with something like “leaves” or “goes out.” However, since one supposes that such departures are usually the result of some exorcism, other translators have said “is driven out” or “is forced to leave.”

A man is literally “the man”; one wonders why Revised Standard Version would have retained the definite article before spirit while dropping it here. Man is the equivalent of “person” (Good News Translation).

Translators should make sure that it is clear in their translation that he refers to the spirit, not to the person.

Passes through has been translated as “travels through” or “goes about in.”

Waterless places were thought to be favorite dwelling places of demons (see Isa 13.21-22; 34.14). New English Bible has “deserts,” and Good News Translation “dry country.”

The abstract noun rest is given the meaning “resting-place” by New English Bible; New American Bible has “a place of rest.” It is best understood in the broad sense of “shelter” or “place to stay” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch); in Ruth 3.1 the Septuagint uses this Greek noun to refer to a home. The translation should not lead to the implication that the spirit is tired out and looking for a place to rest; rather he is looking for a permanent place of residence. Following this interpretation, translators can have “looking for a place to stay” or “trying to find a place to live.”

But he finds none can also be “but it can’t find one (or, any)” (so Good News Translation) or “but there is no place for it (to stay).”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .