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14 Now Jesus was driving out a demon that was dumb; and it occurred that when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke. And the crowds marveled.

15 But some of them said, He drives out demons [because He is in league with and] by Beelzebub, the prince of demons,

16 While others, to try and test and tempt Him, demanded a sign of Him from heaven.

17 But He, [well] aware of their intent and purpose, said to them, Every kingdom split up against itself is doomed and brought to desolation, and so house falls upon house. [The disunited household will collapse.]

18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom last? For you say that I expel demons with the help of and by Beelzebub.

19 Now if I expel demons with the help of and by Beelzebub, with whose help and by whom do your sons drive them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

20 But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has [already] come upon you.

21 When the strong man, fully armed, [[a]from his courtyard] guards his own dwelling, his belongings are undisturbed [his property is at peace and is secure].

22 But when one stronger than he attacks him and conquers him, he robs him of his whole armor on which he had relied and divides up and distributes all his goods as plunder (spoil).

23 He who is not with Me [siding and believing with Me] is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me [engage in My interest], scatters.

24 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it roams through waterless places in search [of a place] of rest (release, refreshment, ease); and finding none it says, I will go back to my house from which I came.

25 And when it arrives, it finds [the place] swept and put in order and furnished and decorated.

26 And it goes and brings other spirits, seven [of them], more evil than itself, and they enter in, settle down, and dwell there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.

27 Now it occurred that as He was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, Blessed (happy and [b]to be envied) is the womb that bore You and the breasts that You sucked!

28 But He said, Blessed (happy and [c]to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it!

29 Now as the crowds were [increasingly] thronging Him, He began to say, This present generation is a wicked one; it seeks and demands a sign (miracle), but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah [the prophet].(A)

30 For [just] as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will also the Son of Man be [a sign] to this age and generation.(B)

31 The queen of the South will arise in the judgment with the people of this age and generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the [inhabited] earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and notice, [d]here is more than Solomon.(C)

32 The men of Nineveh will appear as witnesses at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, [e]here is more than Jonah.(D)

33 No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or crypt or under a bushel measure, but on a lampstand, that those who are coming in may see the light.

34 Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye ([f]your conscience) is sound and fulfilling its office, your whole body is full of light; but when it is not sound and is not fulfilling its office, your body is full of darkness.

35 Be careful, therefore, that the light that is in you is not darkness.

36 If then your entire body is illuminated, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright [with light], as when a lamp with its bright rays gives you light.

37 Now while Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to take dinner with him, so He entered and reclined at table.

38 The Pharisee noticed and was astonished [to see] that Jesus did not first wash before dinner.

39 But the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside you yourselves are full of greed and robbery and extortion and malice and wickedness.

40 You senseless (foolish, stupid) ones [acting without reflection or intelligence]! Did not He Who made the outside make the inside also?

41 But [dedicate your inner self and] give as donations to the poor of those things which are within [of inward righteousness] and behold, everything is purified and clean for you.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 11:21 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  2. Luke 11:27 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
  3. Luke 11:28 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
  4. Luke 11:31 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
  5. Luke 11:32 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
  6. Luke 11:34 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.

Jesus and Beelzebul(A)(B)

14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.(C) 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul,(D) the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”(E) 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.(F)

17 Jesus knew their thoughts(G) and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan(H) is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,(I) then the kingdom of God(J) has come upon you.

21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.(K)

24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes 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.”(L)

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”(M)

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God(N) and obey it.”(O)

The Sign of Jonah(P)

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign,(Q) but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.(R) 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom;(S) and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah;(T) and now something greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body(U)

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.(V) 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Woes on the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.(W) 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.(X)

39 Then the Lord(Y) said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.(Z) 40 You foolish people!(AA) Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor,(AB) and everything will be clean for you.(AC)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 11:34 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.
  2. Luke 11:34 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.