Luke 11:15-26
11:15 But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul,
the ruler
of demons, he casts out demons.”
11:16 Others, to test
him,
began asking for
a sign
from heaven.
11:17 But Jesus,
realizing their thoughts, said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,
and a divided household falls.
11:18 So
if
Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because
you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
11:19 Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons
cast them
out? Therefore they will be your judges.
11:20 But if I cast out demons by the finger
of God, then the kingdom of God
has already overtaken
you.
11:21 When a strong man,
fully armed, guards his own palace,
his possessions are safe.
11:22 But
when a stronger man
attacks
and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s
armor on which the man relied
and divides up
his plunder.
11:23 Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Response to Jesus’ Work
11:24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’
11:25 When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
11:26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.”