^23 (A)And so He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in ^(B)parables: “How can ^(C)Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ And if ^(D)Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but ^[a]he is finished! ^27 (E)But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

^17 (A)But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against ^[a]itself falls. ¹⁸ And if ^(B)Satan also has been divided against himself, how will his kingdom ^[b]stand? For you claim that I cast out the demons by ^(C)Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Yet if by ^(D)Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I cast out the demons by ^[c]the ^(E)finger of God, then ^(F)the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹ When ^[d]a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are ^[e]secure. ²² But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, that man takes away his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder.