| 14Now Jesus was casting out a demon that made a certain man mute. When the demon came out, the mute man began to speak, and the crowds were amazed. 15But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, he casts out demons.” 16Others were asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 17Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself falls. 18So if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are secure. 22But when a stronger man attacks and overpowers him, he takes away all the armor in which the man trusted and then distributes the plunder. 23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 24“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it goes through waterless places seeking rest. But when it does not find any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’ 25When it arrives, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go and dwell there, and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first.” 27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman from among the crowd lifted up her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed.” 28But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” 29Now as the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is evil. It asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 33“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place or under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light. 34The lamp of the body is the eye. So when your eye is clear, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35Therefore make sure that the light within you is not darkness. 36If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be entirely light, like when a lamp gives you light with its rays.” |
