Jesus and Beelzebub^(A)

²⁰ Then they entered a house, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat bread. ²¹ When His family heard of it, they went out to seize Him, for they said, “He is beside Himself.”

²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub, and by the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

²³ So He called them to Him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan rises up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. ²⁷ No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then he will plunder his house. ²⁸ Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they speak. ²⁹ But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal condemnation.”

³⁰ For they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus and Beelzebub^(A)

¹⁴ He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the crowd marveled. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He casts out demons through Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” ¹⁶ Others, testing Him, asked Him for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷ But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is made desolate. And a house divided against itself falls. ¹⁸ If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons through Beelzebub. ¹⁹ Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are peacefully kept. ²² But when a stronger man than he attacks and overpowers him, he seizes all the armor in which the man trusted and divides his spoils.

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

¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.