The Pharisees Rebuked

²² Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man both spoke and saw.^{(A) 23} All the people wondered in amazement, and said, “Could this be the Son of David (the Messiah)?” ²⁴ But the Pharisees heard it and said, “This man ^[a]casts out demons only by [the help of] Beelzebul (Satan) the prince of the demons.”

²⁵ Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom that is divided against itself is being laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will [continue to] stand. ²⁶ If Satan casts out Satan [that is, his demons], he has become divided against himself and disunited; how then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ If I cast out the demons by [the help of] Beelzebul (Satan), by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you [before you expected it]. ²⁹ Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.^(B)

The Unpardonable Sin

³⁰ He who is not with Me [once and for all on My side] is against Me; and he who does not [unequivocally] gather with Me scatters.^(C)

³¹ “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy [every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things] will be forgiven people, but ^[b]blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.^(D)

Words Reveal Character

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. ³⁵ The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things. ³⁶ But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. ³⁷ For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.”

Pharisees’ Blasphemy

¹⁴ And [at another time] Jesus was casting out a demon, and it was [controlling a man so as to make him] mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds were awed.^{(A) 15} But some of them said, “He drives out demons by [the power of] ^[a]Beelzebul (Satan), the ruler of the demons.” ¹⁶ Others, trying to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. ¹⁷ But He, well aware of their thoughts and purpose, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is doomed to destruction; and a house divided against itself falls. ¹⁸ If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand and continue to survive? For you are saying that I drive out demons by [the power of] Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons [the Jewish exorcists] drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then ^[b]the kingdom of God has already come upon you. ²¹ When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his belongings are undisturbed and secure. ²² But when someone stronger than he attacks and overpowers him, he robs him of all his armor on which he had relied and divides his [goods as] spoil. ²³ He who is not with Me [believing in Me as Lord and Savior] is against Me [there is no impartial position]; and he who does not gather with Me [assisting in My ministry], scatters.

²⁴ “When the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places in search [of a place] of rest; and not finding any, it says, ‘I will go back to my house (person) from which I came.’ ²⁵ And when it comes, it finds the place swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in [the person] and live there; and the last state of that person becomes worse than the first.”

²⁷ Now while Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed (happy, favored by God) is the womb that gave birth to You and the breasts at which You nursed!” ²⁸ But He said, “On the contrary, blessed (happy, favored by God) are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.”