An Unclean Spirit’s Return

²⁴ “When^(A) an unclean spirit^(B) comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest,^(C) and not finding rest, it then^[a] says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ ²⁵ Returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and brings seven other spirits^(D) more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.”^(E)

True Blessedness

²⁷ As he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd^(F) raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the one who nursed you!” ^(G)

²⁸ He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God^(H) and keep it.”^(I)

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us^(A) make man^[a] in^[b] our image, according to our likeness.^(B) They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl^[c] on the earth.”^(C)

²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth,^(E) and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” ²⁹ God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you,^{(F) 30} for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it—I have given^[d] every green plant for food.”^(G) And it was so. ³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.^(H) Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.