²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul,^(A) the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”^(B)

²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts^(C) and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ If Satan^(D) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul,^(E) by whom do your people^(F) drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God^(G) has come upon you.

²⁹ “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

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. ²⁷ In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.^(F)

¹⁵ But some of them said, “By Beelzebul,^(A) the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”^{(B) 16} Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.^(C)

¹⁷ Jesus knew their thoughts^(D) and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸ If Satan^(E) is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,^(F) then the kingdom of God^(G) has come upon you.

²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.