Luke 11:14-28
New American Standard Bible
Pharisees’ Blasphemy
14 (A)And He was casting out a mute demon; when the demon had gone out, the man who was previously unable to speak talked, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out the demons (B)by (C)Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, [a]to test Him, (D)were demanding of Him a [b]sign from heaven. 17 (E)But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against [c]itself falls. 18 And if (F)Satan also has been divided against himself, how will his kingdom [d]stand? For you claim that I cast out the demons by (G)Beelzebul. 19 Yet if by (H)Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out the demons by [e]the (I)finger of God, then (J)the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When [f]a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are [g]secure. 22 But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, that man takes away his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. 23 (K)The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
24 “(L)When the unclean spirit comes out of [h]a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it then says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they come in and live there; and the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first.”
27 While [i]Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “(M)Blessed is the womb that carried You, and the breasts at which You nursed!” 28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are (N)those who hear the word of God and follow it.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 11:16 Lit testing
- Luke 11:16 I.e., confirming miracle
- Luke 11:17 Lit a house
- Luke 11:18 I.e., remain stable
- Luke 11:20 I.e., an undeniable act of God
- Luke 11:21 Lit the
- Luke 11:21 Lit in peace
- Luke 11:24 Lit the
- Luke 11:27 Lit He
Luke 11:14-28
The Message
No Neutral Ground
14-16 Jesus delivered a man from a demon that had kept him speechless. The demon gone, the man started talking a blue streak, taking the crowd by complete surprise. But some from the crowd were cynical. “Black magic,” they said. “Some devil trick he’s pulled from his sleeve.” Others were skeptical, waiting around for him to prove himself with a spectacular miracle.
17-20 Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Any country in civil war for very long is wasted. A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces. If Satan cancels Satan, is there any Satan left? You accuse me of ganging up with the Devil, the prince of demons, to cast out demons, but if you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil who kicks out devils, doesn’t the same mud stick to your own exorcists? But if it’s God’s finger I’m pointing that sends the demons on their way, then God’s kingdom is here for sure.
21-22 “When a strong man, armed to the teeth, stands guard in his front yard, his property is safe and sound. But what if a stronger man comes along with superior weapons? Then he’s beaten at his own game, the arsenal that gave him such confidence hauled off, and his precious possessions plundered.
23 “This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.
24-26 “When a corrupting spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return, it finds the person swept and dusted, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits dirtier than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.”
27 While he was saying these things, some woman lifted her voice above the murmur of the crowd: “Blessed the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”
28 Jesus commented, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!”
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson