Nevertheless, do not rejoice that<n id="1" /> the spirits submit to you, but rejoice<n id="2" /> that your names stand written<n id="3" /> in heaven.&#8221;p>

So he said to them, &#8220;When you pray,<n id="1" /> say:p> <p class="poetry">Father,<n id="2" /> may your name be honored;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">may your kingdom come.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now<n id="1" /> he was casting out a demon that was mute.<n id="2" /> When<n id="3" /> the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak,<n id="4" /> and the crowds were amazed.

But Jesus,<n id="1" /> realizing their thoughts, said to them,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,<n id="3" /> and a divided household falls.<n id="4" />

So<n id="1" /> if<n id="2" /> Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because<n id="3" /> you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons<n id="1" /> cast them<n id="2" /> out? Therefore they will be your judges.

But<n id="1" /> when a stronger man<n id="2" /> attacks<n id="3" /> and conquers him, he takes away the first man&#8217;s<n id="4" /> armor on which the man relied<n id="5" /> and divides up<n id="6" /> his plunder.<n id="7" />

So you testify that you approve of<n id="1" /> the deeds of your ancestors,<n id="2" /> because they killed the prophets<n id="3" /> and you build their<n id="4" /> tombs!<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;I<n id="1" /> tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,<n id="2" /> and after that have nothing more they can do.

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit<n id="1" /> will not be forgiven.<n id="2" />

But when they bring you before the synagogues,<n id="1" /> the<n id="2" /> rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense<n id="3" /> or what you should say,

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> someone from the crowd said to him, &#8220;Teacher, tell<n id="2" /> my brother to divide the inheritance with me.&#8221;

And if<n id="1" /> this is how God clothes the wild grass,<n id="2" /> which is here<n id="3" /> today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,<n id="4" /> how much more<n id="5" /> will he clothe you, you people of little faith!

That<n id="1" /> servant who knew his master&#8217;s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked<n id="2" /> will receive a severe beating.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Jesus<n id="1" /> also said to the crowds, &#8220;When you see a cloud rising in the west,<n id="2" /> you say at once, &#8216;A rainstorm<n id="3" /> is coming,&#8217; and it does.

You hypocrites!<n id="1" /> You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how<n id="2" /> to interpret the present time?p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now<n id="1" /> there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.<n id="2" />

But the worker<n id="1" /> answered him, &#8216;Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer<n id="2" /> on it.

<t /><p class="bodytext">When<n id="1" /> one of those at the meal with Jesus<n id="2" /> heard this, he said to him, &#8220;Blessed is everyone<n id="3" /> who will feast<n id="4" /> in the kingdom of God!&#8221;<n id="5" />

The<n id="1" /> younger of them said to his<n id="2" /> father, &#8216;Father, give me the share of the estate<n id="3" /> that will belong<n id="4" /> to me.&#8217; So<n id="5" /> he divided his<n id="6" /> assets between them.<n id="7" />