20 And He * came 1ahome, and the bcrowd * gathered again, cto such an extent that they could not even eat 2a meal.

21 When aHis own 1people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “bHe has lost His senses.”

22 The scribes who came down afrom Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by 1bBeelzebul,” and “cHe casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”

23 aAnd He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in bparables, “How can cSatan cast out Satan?

24 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

26 “If aSatan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but 1he is finished!

27 “aBut no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

28 “aTruly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;

29 but awhoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”