³⁵ so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”

¹⁹ Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.^(A)

² Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments.^(A)

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they did not belong to us, for if they had belonged to us they would have remained^[a] with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us.^(A)

²¹ You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God.^{(A) 22} Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness.”^(B)

²⁵ And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.^(A)

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.^{(A) 23} Whoever hates me hates my Father also.^{(B) 24} If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.^(C)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God, and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.^{(A) 43} Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. ⁴⁴ You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^{(B) 45} But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.^{[a] 46} Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”^(C)

The Law and the Kingdom of God

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him.^{(A) 15} So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts, for what is prized by humans is an abomination in the sight of God.^(B)

²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this man casts out the demons.”^{(A) 25} He knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.^{(B) 26} If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists^[a] cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.^{(C) 28} But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.^{(D) 29} Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. ³⁰ Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.^{(E) 31} Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{(F) 32} Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.^(G)