Jesus and Beelzebul

14 yNow he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons zby Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, ato test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 bBut he, cknowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, dby whom do eyour sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by fthe finger of God that I cast out demons, then gthe kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 hbut when one stronger than he attacks him and iovercomes him, he takes away his jarmor in which he trusted and kdivides his spoil. 23 lWhoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Return of an Unclean Spirit

24 m“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through nwaterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And othe last state of that person is worse than the first.”

True Blessedness

27 As he said these things, pa woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, q“Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, r“Blessed rather are those swho hear the word of God and tkeep it!”

The Sign of Jonah

29 uWhen the crowds were increasing, he began to say, v“This generation is an evil generation. wIt seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as xJonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 yThe queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and zcondemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, asomething greater than Solomon is here. 32 bThe men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and zcondemn it, for cthey repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, asomething greater than Jonah is here.

The Light in You

33 d“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is ethe lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is fbad, your body is full of darkness. 35 eTherefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, gas when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

Woes to the Pharisees and Lawyers

37 While Jesus5 was speaking, ha Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see ithat he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, j“Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of kgreed and wickedness. 40 lYou fools! jDid not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But mgive as alms those things that are within, and behold, neverything is clean for you.

42 o“But woe to you Pharisees! For pyou tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect qjustice and rthe love of God. sThese you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For tyou love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! uFor you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

45 One of vthe lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you wlawyers also! For xyou load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 yWoe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 zSo you are witnesses and you aconsent to the deeds of byour fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also cthe Wisdom of God said, d‘I will send them eprophets and apostles, fsome of whom they will gkill and persecute,’ 50 so that hthe blood of all the prophets, shed ifrom the foundation of the world, may be jcharged against this generation, 51 from the blood of kAbel to the blood of lZechariah, who perished between mthe altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be jrequired of this generation. 52 Woe to you nlawyers! oFor you have taken away the key of pknowledge. You qdid not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 rlying in wait for him, sto catch him in something he might say.