¹⁴Nowⁱ he was driving out a demon^j that was mute.^k When the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. ¹⁵But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,^l the ruler^m of the demons.”ⁿ ¹⁶And others, as a test,^o were demanding of him a sign^p from heaven.

¹⁷Knowing their thoughts,^q he told them, “Every kingdom divided^r against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls. ¹⁸If Satan^s also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom^t stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons^u drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁰If I drive out demons by the finger of God,^v then the kingdom of God^w has come upon you. ²¹When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure. ²²But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers^x him, he takes from him all his weapons^y he trusted^z in, and divides up his plunder.^aa ²³Anyone who is not with me is against me,^ab and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.

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Cross references

i Mt 9:32–34; 12:22–30; Mk 3:22–27; Jn 7:20; 8:48,52; 10:20
j Mk 7:26
k Mk 7:37; 9:15–25; Lk 7:22
l 2Kg 1:2; Mt 10:25
m Lk 12:58
n Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Eph 2:2
o Lk 10:25
p Jn 2:11; 8:6
q Lk 5:22; Php 2:6
r Dn 5:28; 11:4; Lk 12:52–53
s Mt 4:1,10; Ac 13:10
t Lk 4:5
u Gl 3:7; 1Pt 5:13
v Ex 8:19; 31:18; Dt 9:10; Ps 8:3
w Mt 19:24; 21:31,43; Lk 17:21
x Jn 16:33; 1Jn 2:13
y Eph 6:11,13
z Ac 26:28
aa Is 49:24–26
ab Mk 9:40; Lk 9:50