(Jesus continues to speak to the crowd about demons.)

## waterless places ##

This refers to "desolate places" (UDB) where the evil spirits wander.

## And finding none ##

"If the spirit does not find any rest there"

## my house from which I came ##

This is a metaphor referring to the person he used to lived in. It can be translated as "the person in whom I used to live!" (UDB) The UDB goes on to translate it as a simile in verse 26. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

## finds that house swept out and put in order ##

This can be translated with an active verb: "finds that someone has swept the house clean and put everything where it belongs." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

## swept out ##

"empty." This metaphor refers to the condition of the person who did not fill their life with God's Spirit after the demon left.