Jesus and Beelzebul

22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

23The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”

25Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

26If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

27And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

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.

20Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.

21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”

22And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”

23So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?

24If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand.

25If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand.

26And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come.

27Indeed, 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.

14One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,

15but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”

16And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.

17Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.

18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.

19And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

20But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.

22But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.

23He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.