⁷ Then war broke out in heaven. Michael^(A) and his angels fought against the dragon,^(B) and the dragon and his angels^(C) fought back. ⁸ But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent^(D) called the devil,^(E) or Satan,^(F) who leads the whole world astray.^(G) He was hurled to the earth,^(H) and his angels with him.

¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan^(A) himself masquerades as an angel of light.

¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(A) and brought us into the kingdom^(B) of the Son he loves,^{(C) 14} in whom we have redemption,^(D) the forgiveness of sins.^(E)

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^(A) but against the rulers, against the authorities,^(B) against the powers^(C) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^(D)

²² And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem^(A) said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul!^(B) By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”^(C)

²³ So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:^(D) “How can Satan^(E) drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom 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; his end has come.

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,^{(A) 2} in which you used to live^(B) when you followed the ways of this world^(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,^(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.^(E)

¹⁹ We know that we are children of God,^(A) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.^(B)