A House Divided

²⁰ Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat.^{[a] 21} When his family^(A) heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”^(B)

²² The scribes^(C) who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,”^(D) and, “He drives out^(E) demons^(F) by the ruler^(G) of the demons.”^(H)

²³ So he summoned^(I) them and spoke to them in parables:^(J) “How can Satan^(K) drive out Satan?^{(L) 24} If a kingdom^(M) is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished. ²⁷ But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties up^(N) the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies^(O) they utter. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes^(P) against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness,^(Q) but is guilty^(R) of an eternal sin”^[b](S)— ³⁰ because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”^(T)

True Relationships

³¹ His^(U) mother^(V) and his brothers^(W) came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers,^(X) and your sisters^[c] are outside asking for you.”

³³ He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!^{(Y) 35} Whoever does the will of God^(Z) is my brother and sister and mother.”