Luke 11:17

17 But he, having knowledge of their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom in which there is division is made waste; and a house in which there is division comes to destruction.

Luke 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:17

But he knowing their thoughts
Being God omniscient,

said unto them;
the following parables, as they are called in ( Mark 3:23 ) or proverbial expressions, very pertinent to the purpose, and sufficient to set aside the base calumnies of the Pharisees:

every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation;
in process of time, division will end in destruction; and as it does in the kingdoms of the world, of which there have been fatal instances, so it would in the kingdom of Satan, was there in it a division, which the calumny of the Pharisees supposes:

and an house divided against an house, falleth.
The Persic version renders it, "an house divided from the foundation, falls"; the sense is, a family, in which one part is opposed to the other, issues in the ruin of both; (See Gill on Matthew 12:25), (See Gill on Mark 3:24), (See Gill on Mark 3:25).

Luke 11:17 In-Context

15 But some of them said, He sends out evil spirits by Beelzebul, the ruler of evil spirits.

16 And others, testing him, were looking for a sign from heaven from him.

17 But he, having knowledge of their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom in which there is division is made waste; and a house in which there is division comes to destruction.

18 If, then, Satan is at war with himself, how will he keep his kingdom? because you say that I send evil spirits out of men by the help of Beelzebul.

19 And if I, by Beelzebul, send out evil spirits, by whose help do your sons send them out? so let them be your judges.