15
They would have authority to drive out demons.
16
So Jesus appointed the Twelve. Simon was one of them. Jesus gave him the name Peter.
17
There were James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. Jesus gave them the name Boanerges. Boanerges means Sons of Thunder.
18
There were also Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, and James, son of Alphaeus. And there were Thaddaeus and Simon the Zealot.
19
Judas Iscariot was one of them too. He was the one who was later going to hand Jesus over to his enemies.
Jesus and Beelzebub
20 Jesus entered a house. Again a crowd gathered. It was so large that Jesus and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21
His family heard about this. So they went to take charge of him. They said, "He is out of his mind."
22
Some teachers of the law were there. They had come down from Jerusalem. They said, "He is controlled by Beelzebub! He is driving out demons by the power of the prince of demons."
23
So Jesus called them over and spoke to them by using stories. He said, "How can Satan drive out Satan?
24
If a kingdom fights against itself, it can't stand.
25
If a family is divided, it can't stand.