24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul,s the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”t

25 Jesus knew their thoughtsu and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satanv drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul,w by whom do your peoplex drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of Gody has come upon you.

29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.z 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.a 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this ageb or in the age to come.c

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.d 34 You brood of vipers,e how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaksf what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”g

The Sign of Jonah

12:39–42pp—Lk 11:29–32
12:43–45pp—Lk 11:24–26

38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a signh from you.”i

39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.j 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,k so the Son of Manl will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.m 41 The men of Ninevehn will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,o and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she camep from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.q That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

12:46–50pp—Mk 3:31–35; Lk 8:19–21

46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his motherr and brotherss stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heavent is my brother and sister and mother.”