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 (Luke 11:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 11:26:

  • Noongar: “Then he goes out and brings back seven other evil spirits. They are worse and they come and stay there. So when everything happens, the life of this man becomes sicker and worse than his life before.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “That is why he first goes and calls seven of his fellow demons who are more evil than he. They come enter into the person who had been left earlier, and they live there. Finally that person is more pitiable than he was from the beginning.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then he goes and fetches seven other demons, their badness is worse than his and they all enter the body of the person and live there. The result for that person is, what happens to him now is worse than before.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then he goes away again and he brings with him seven of his fellow demons that are even more evil than he is, and they get inside and they live there in that person. And the situation of that person is even worse than it was at first.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He will then go and invite seven evil-spirits who are more-malicious than he so that they will go and live-together-with him. Surely that person will become increasingly-more pitiful than at first.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore what he will do is set out again to round up seven of his companions who are more evil that he, for they will companion him in possessing/making-crazy again. Therefore what will happen to that person is that his condition will be much worse.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 11:26

Exegesis:

tote ‘then,’ i.e. when he sees that the house is untenanted.

poreuetai kai paralambanei ‘it goes (away) and brings.’ For paralambanō cf. on 9.10.

hetera pneumata ponērotera heautou hepta ‘seven other spirits more evil than itself,’ cf. on 8.2.

eiselthonta katoikei ekei ‘after going in they live there.’ Subject is the spirits. For eiselthonta cf. on 8.30. katoikeō also 13.4.

kai ginetai ta eschata tou anthrōpou ekeinou cheirona tōn prōtōn ‘and the last state of that man is worse than the first.’

eschatos ‘last.’ Here ta eschata refers to a period in a man’s life as contrasted with an earlier period (ton prōtōn), and not to his final, or, eternal state.

cheirōn ‘worse,’ ‘more severe,’ without moral connotation.

Translation:

Brings, or, ‘causes, or, calls to accompany him’ (East or Toraja-Sa’dan).

Other spirits here refers to additional specimens of the spirit class; hence, ‘seven spirits more,’ ‘seven more of his companions who are devils also’ (Tzeltal). In this context, however, the comparison may be thought to imply that the items mentioned are in one class, and, therefore, the equivalent of “other” may be omitted, as in Pohnpeian, Trukese, Batak Toba, and cf. ‘in comparison to him seven very wicked spirits’ (Ekari). Spirits, see on 9.39.

Enter and dwell there, i.e. enter and stay permanently, or settle down, in that house; or without the metaphor, ‘take possession of that man and hold him in their power’; cf. also on “enter” in 8.30.

The last state of that man becomes worse than the first, or, ‘in the end the state of that man (or, the possessed man) … than in the beginning.’ The clause is resultative.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.