The Pharisees Rebuked

22 aThen a bdemon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to 1Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the aSon of David, can he?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man acasts out demons only by 1Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

25 aAnd bknowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “1Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and 1any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26 “If aSatan casts out Satan, he 1is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

27 “If I aby 1Beelzebul cast out demons, bby whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

28 “But aif I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

29 “Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

The Unpardonable Sin

30 “aHe who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

31 “aTherefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

32 “aWhoever 1speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever 1speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in bthis age or in the age to come.

Words Reveal Character

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for athe tree is known by its fruit.

34 “aYou brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak 1what is good? bFor the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

35 “aThe good man brings out of his good treasure 1what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure 2what is evil.

36 “But I tell you that every 1careless word that people 2speak, they shall give an accounting for it in athe day of judgment.

37 “For 1by your words you will be justified, and 1by your words you will be condemned.”