²⁰ Then he went ^(A)home, and the crowd gathered again, ^(B)so that they could not even eat. ^21 (C)And when ^(D)his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He ^(E)is out of his mind.”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

²² And ^(F)the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, ^(G)“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” ^23 (H)And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. ²⁷ But ^(I)no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. ^(J)Then indeed he may plunder his house.

^28 (K)“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, ²⁹ but whoever ^(L)blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰ for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

^31 (M)And his mother and his ^(N)brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. ³² And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers^[a] are outside, seeking you.” ³³ And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ And ^(O)looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ^35 (P)For whoever ^(Q)does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ^(A)“It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” ^25 (B)Knowing their thoughts, ^(C)he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶ And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, ^(D)by whom do ^(E)your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is ^(F)by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then ^(G)the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or ^(H)how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed ^(I)he may plunder his house. ^30 (J)Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ^31 (K)Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but ^(L)the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² And whoever speaks a word ^(M)against the Son of Man ^(N)will be forgiven, but ^(O)whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in ^(P)this age or in the age to come.