Discourse on a Kingdom Divided Against Itself
Mark 3:20-30
The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him: for they said, “He is insane.”
22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”
23 He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan 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 cannot stand. 26 If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end. 27 But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.
28 Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme; 29 but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.” 30 —because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Matthew 12:22-32
Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. (23) All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”
(24) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
(25) Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. (26) If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? (27) If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. (28) But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you. (29) Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
(30) “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.
(31) “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. (32) Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.”
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit
Matthew 12:33-37
“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
36 “I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgement. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
(43) When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn’t find it. (44) Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came out,’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. (45) Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”
Luke 11:14-23
He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.
(15) But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” (16) Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.
(17) But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls. (18) If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. (19) But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. (20) But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you.
(21) “When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. (22) But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder.
(23) “He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters.”
(24) The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’ (25) When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order. (26) Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”