Jesus and the Prince of Demons

20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

22 But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan,[a] the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

23 Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. 24 “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. 27 Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

28 “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, 29 but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” 30 He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”

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Footnotes

  1. 3:22 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.

20 Then kai Jesus went erchomai to eis his house oikos, and kai again palin a crowd ochlos gathered synerchomai, so hōste that they autos were not even mēde able dynamai to eat esthiō a meal artos. 21 And kai when his autos family ho heard akouō this, they went exerchomai out to take charge krateō of him autos, for gar people were saying legō, “ He is out of his mind existēmi.” 22 And kai the ho scribes grammateus who ho came down katabainō from apo Jerusalem Hierosolyma were saying legō, “ He has echō Beelzebul Beelzeboul in him,” and kai By en the ho prince archōn of ho demons daimonion he drives ekballō out · ho demons daimonion.” 23 So kai he called proskaleō them autos together and began speaking legō to them autos in en parables parabolē: “ How pōs can dynamai Satan Satanas drive out ekballō Satan Satanas? 24 · kai If ean a kingdom basileia is divided merizō against epi itself heautou, that ekeinos kingdom basileia cannot ou dynamai stand histēmi. · ho 25 And kai if ean a house oikia is divided merizō against epi itself heautou, that ekeinos house oikia cannot ou dynamai · ho stand histēmi. 26 And kai if ei · ho Satan Satanas rises anistēmi against epi himself heautou and kai is divided merizō, he cannot ou stand histēmi but alla is coming to echō an end telos. 27 But alla no one oudeis can dynamai enter eiserchomai the ho house oikia of the ho strong ischuros man and carry off diarpazō · ho his autos possessions skeuos unless ean mē first prōton he ties up deō the ho strong ischuros man ; · kai then tote he can rob diarpazō · ho his autos house oikia.

28  I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, all pas things will be forgiven aphiēmi the ho sons hyios of ho men anthrōpos, · ho all sinful hamartēma behavior and kai · ho whatever hosos blasphemies blasphēmia they may utter blasphēmeō; 29 but de whoever hos blasphemes blasphēmeō against eis the ho Holy hagios Spirit pneuma · ho will not ou have echō forgiveness aphesis for eis all ho time aiōn, but alla is eimi guilty enochos of an eternal aiōnios sin hamartēma 30 because hoti he said legō, “ He has echō an unclean akathartos spirit pneuma.”

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