"The Holy Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me [i.e., specially chose me] to preach good news to poor people. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to those who are captives [i.e., to sin]; recovery of sight to the [spiritually as well as physically] blind; to set free those who are oppressed [i.e., by Satan] and

Now there was a man in the synagogue who was dominated by the spirit of an evil demon [Note: These "evil spirits" or "demons" were powerful beings sent by Satan to inhabit people, causing physical, mental and spiritual harm to them]. He was shouting with a loud voice,

And Jesus said to them, "I saw Satan falling from heaven as lightning.

See, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions [i.e., to receive protection from accidental contact with venomous creatures. See Acts 28:5] and [to have authority] over all the power of the enemy [i.e., Satan. See verse 18]. And nothing at all will hurt you.

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.

So, should not this woman, being a daughter [i.e., descendant] of Abraham, whom Satan has bound [with this disease] for eighteen years, have been released from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"

Then Satan entered the heart of Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve apostles.

"Simon, Simon [i.e., Peter], Satan has earnestly requested the right to sift you like wheat. [Note: Grain was sifted by using a sieve-like device in which grain and particles of dirt and straw were shaken together, allowing the grain to fall through while the dirt and straw remained. This was an allusion to the agitating trials Peter was soon to endure, and survive].