New Testament in a Year

Contrasting Reactions to the Person of Jesus^[a]

²⁰ The Concern of Jesus’ Relatives.^[b] Jesus then returned home,^[c] and once again such a great crowd collected around them that they did not even find it possible to eat. ²¹ When his relatives heard about this, they went out to take charge of him, saying, “He has gone out of his mind.”

²² The Blasphemy of the Scribes.^[d] Meanwhile, the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” ²³ Summoning them to him, he spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot survive. ²⁵ And if a household is divided against itself, that household will not be able to survive. ²⁶ If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot survive; he is doomed.

²⁷ “But no one can break into a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can ransack the house.

²⁸ “Amen, I say to you, all sins that people commit and whatever blasphemies they utter will be forgiven. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” ³⁰ He said this because they had claimed he was possessed by an unclean spirit.

³¹ The True Family of Jesus.^[e] Then his mother and his brethren arrived, and, standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him, and they said, “Behold, your mother and your brethren are outside asking for you.” ³³ He replied, “Who are my mother and my brethren?” ³⁴ Then, looking around at those who were near him, he said: “Behold, my mother and my brethren. ³⁵ Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”