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24 (A) When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “He forces out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”

25 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them:

Any kingdom where people fight each other will end up ruined. And a town or family that fights will soon destroy itself. 26 So if Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? 27 If I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? Your followers are the ones who will judge you. 28 But when I force out demons by the power of God's Spirit, it proves that God's kingdom has already come to you. 29 (B) How can anyone break into a strong man's house and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can take everything.

30 (C) If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don't gather in the harvest with me, you scatter it. 31-32 (D) I tell you any sinful thing you do or say can be forgiven. Even if you speak against the Son of Man, you can be forgiven. But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven, either in this life or in the life to come.

A Tree and Its Fruit

(Luke 6.43-45)

33 (E) A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. 34 (F) You are a bunch of evil snakes, so how can you say anything good? Your words show what is in your hearts. 35 Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. 36 I promise you on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. 37 On that day they will be told they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.

A Sign from Heaven

(Mark 8.11,12; Luke 11.29-32)

38 (G) Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a sign from heaven.”

39 (H) But Jesus replied:

You want a sign because you are evil and won't believe! But the only sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 (I) He was in the stomach of a big fish for three days and nights, just as the Son of Man will be deep in the earth for three days and nights. 41 (J) On the day of judgment the people of Nineveh[a] will stand there with you and condemn you. They turned to God when Jonah preached, and yet here is something far greater than Jonah. 42 (K) The Queen of the South[b] will also stand there with you and condemn you. She traveled a long way to hear Solomon's wisdom, and yet here is something much greater than Solomon.

Return of an Evil Spirit

(Luke 11.24-26)

43 When an evil spirit leaves a person, it travels through the desert, looking for a place to rest. But when the demon doesn't find a place, 44 it says, “I will go back to the home I left.” When it gets there and finds the place empty, clean, and neat, 45 it goes off and finds seven other evil spirits even worse than itself. They all come and make their home there, and the person ends up in worse shape than before. That's how it will be with you evil people of today.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Mark 3.31-35; Luke 8.19-21)

46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside because they wanted to talk with him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to talk with you.”[c]

48 Jesus answered, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my mother and my brothers! 50 Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother.”

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Footnotes

  1. 12.41 Nineveh: During the time of Jonah this city was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which was Israel's worst enemy. But Jonah was sent there to preach, so that the people would turn to the Lord and be saved.
  2. 12.42 South: Sheba, probably a country in southern Arabia.
  3. 12.47 with you: Some manuscripts do not have verse 47.

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