Matthew 12:22-32 - A House Divided Cannot Stand
22 Then a person dominated by an evil spirit, who was [also] blind and mute, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he was able [both] to speak and see [again]. 23 All the crowds of people were amazed and said, "Can this [Jesus] be the son of David?"
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man does not drive out evil spirits except by [the power of] Beelzebub, the chief of evil spirits."
25 Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom [plagued] with internal division will end in ruin. And every city or household divided from within will not survive. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself, [so] how then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out evil spirits by [the power of] Beelzebub, by whom do they [i.e., your people] drive them out? So, they become your judges. 28 But if I drive out evil spirits by [the power of] the Holy Spirit, then [that is evidence that] the kingdom of God has come into your midst [i.e., by my presence and ministry]. 29 Or, how can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man? Only then will he be able to steal [his belongings] from his house. 30 The person who is not on my side is [actually] against me. And the person who does not gather [people to me] is [actually] driving them away [from me]. 31 Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven of every sin and abusive word spoken [against God]. But abusive words spoken against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks an [abusive] word against the Son of man will be forgiven [of it], but whoever speaks [an abusive word] against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven [of it], not in this world nor the one to come.
20 Soon a crowd assembled again so that they could not even eat a meal [i.e., without people crowding all around them]. 21 When His relatives [or friends] heard about this [i.e., all that He was doing], they went out to take custody of Him [for safety reasons?], for people were saying, "He has lost his mind."
22 And the experts in the law of Moses who had come down from Jerusalem were saying [Note: This followed the incident of Jesus healing a man with an evil spirit. See Matt. 12:22-28], "He has Beelzebub [in him]," and "He is driving out evil spirits by [the power of] the chief of evil spirits."
23 And He called them to Him and began speaking to them in parables [i.e., brief stories to illustrate His teaching], saying, "How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom is plagued by internal division, it will never survive. 25 And if a household is divided [by strife] within, that household will never last. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided [i.e., in aim and purpose] he cannot survive, and his end has come.
27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and steal his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man. Only then will he be able to steal from his house. 28 Truly I tell you, all of mankind's sins and the abusive language that they use in speaking against God [and men] can be forgiven. 29 But the person who speaks against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven, for he is guilty of a never ending sin." 30 Jesus said all this because these experts in the law of Moses had been saying, "He has an evil spirit in him."
14 [Once] Jesus was driving out an evil spirit from a [man who was] mute. And it happened when the evil spirit left [him] that the [former] mute began to speak. And the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of the people said, "He is driving out evil spirits by [the power of] Beelzebub, the chief of evil spirits." 16 Then others, trying to test Him, asked Him to perform a [supernatural] sign from heaven.
17 But, knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom [plagued] with internal division will end in ruin. And a household divided from within will fall. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how [then] can his kingdom stand? I tell you this because you are saying that I drove out evil spirits by [the power of] Beelzebub. 19 But, if I drive out evil spirits by [the power of] Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So, they will be your judges. 20 But, if I drive out evil spirits by the finger of God [i.e., by God's direct, supernatural intervention], then [that is evidence that] the kingdom of God has come into your midst [i.e., by my presence and ministry]. 21 When a fully armed strong man guards his own courtyard [i.e., homestead], his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away all the armament the strong man relied on, and [then] divides up his storehouse of possessions. [Note: The word here translated "possessions" may be translated "arms" so the meaning could be "divides up his armament"]. 23 The person who is not on my side is [actually] against me. And the person who does not gather [people to me] is [actually] driving them away [from me].