²²Then some people brought to Jesus a man who was blind and could not talk because he had a demon. Jesus healed the man, so that he was able to talk and see. ²³The crowds were all amazed at what Jesus had done. “Could he be the Son of David?” they asked.

²⁴^*When the Pharisees heard this, they replied, “He drives out demons only because their ruler Beelzebul gives him power to do so.”

²⁵Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them, “Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long. And any town or family that divides itself into groups which fight each other will fall apart. ²⁶So if one group is fighting another in Satan’s kingdom, this means that it is already divided into groups and will soon fall apart! ²⁷You say that I drive out demons because Beelzebul gives me the power to do so. Well, then, who gives your followers the power to drive them out? What your own followers do proves that you are wrong! ²⁸No, it is not Beelzebul, but God’s Spirit, who gives me the power to drive out demons, which proves that the Kingdom of God has already come upon you.

²⁹“No one can break into a strong man’s house and take away his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

³⁰^*“Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering.

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Cross references

*12.24: Mt 9:34; 10:25
*12.30: Mk 9:40