Matthew 12:22–30

Jesus and Beelzebul

12:25–29pp—Mk 3:23–27; Lk 11:17–22

²²Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.^{q 23}All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”^r

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

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