Matthew 12:24-35
12:24 But when the Pharisees
heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul,
the ruler
of demons!”
12:25 Now when Jesus
realized what they were thinking, he said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,
and no town or house divided against itself will stand.
12:26 So if
Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
12:27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons
cast them
out? For this reason they will be your judges.
12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God
has already overtaken
you.
12:29 How
else can someone enter a strong man’s
house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.
12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
12:31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy,
but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.
But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven,
either in this age or in the age to come.
Trees and Their Fruit
12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit.
12:34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart.
12:35 The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.