Matthew 12:18-28

18 "¹BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; ²MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; ³ I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, ⁴ AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.

19 "⁵HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.

20 "⁶A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.

21 "⁷AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."

The Pharisees Rebuked

22 ⁸Then a ⁹demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "This man cannot be the ¹⁰Son of David, can he?"

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man ¹¹casts out demons only * * by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

25 ¹²And ¹³knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26 "If ¹⁴Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

27 "If I ¹⁵by Beelzebul cast out demons, ¹⁶by whom do your sons cast them out? For this * reason * they will be your judges.

28 "But ¹⁷if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 42:1
• 2. Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5
• 3. Luke 4:18; John 3:34
• 4. Isaiah 42:1
• 5. Isaiah 42:2
• 6. Isaiah 42:3
• 7. Romans 15:12
• 8. Matthew 12:22, 24: {Luke 11:14, 15;} Matthew 9:32, 34
• 9. Matthew 4:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9
• 10. Matthew 9:27
• 11. Matthew 9:34
• 12. Matthew 12:25-29: {Mark 3:23-27; Luke 11:17-22}
• 13. Matthew 9:4
• 14. Matthew 4:10; Matthew 13:19
• 15. Matthew 9:34
• 16. Acts 19:13
• 17. 1 John 3:8

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "Child"
• [b]. Lit "chose"
• [c]. Or "took pleasure"
• [d]. Or "judgment"
• [e]. Or "nations"
• [f]. Or "puts forth"
• [g]. Or "judgment"
• [h]. Or "nations"
• [i]. Lit "Him"
• [j]. Or "Beezebul;" i.e. ruler of demons
• [k]. Lit "Every"
• [l]. Lit "Every"
• [m]. Lit "was"
• [n]. V 24, note 1