A House Divided

¹⁴ Now^(A) he was driving out a demon^(B) that was mute.^(C) When the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,^(D) the ruler^(E) of the demons.”^{(F) 16} And others, as a test,^(G) were demanding of him a sign^(H) from heaven.

¹⁷ Knowing their thoughts,^(I) he told them, “Every kingdom divided^(J) against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls. ¹⁸ If Satan^(K) also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom^(L) stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons^(M) drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁰ If I drive out demons by the finger of God,^(N) then the kingdom of God^(O) has come upon you. ²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure. ²² But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers^(P) him, he takes from him all his weapons^[a](Q) he trusted^(R) in, and divides up his plunder.^{(S) 23} Anyone who is not with me is against me,^(T) and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.

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.