12
Or, if your children ask for an egg, would you give them a scorpion?
13
Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
14
One time Jesus was sending out a demon that could not talk. When the demon came out, the man who had been unable to speak, then spoke. The people were amazed.
15
But some of them said, "Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, to force demons out of people."
16
Other people, wanting to test Jesus, asked him to give them a sign from heaven.
17
But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. And a family that is divided against itself will not continue.
18
So if Satan is divided against himself, his kingdom will not continue. You say that I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons.
19
But if I use the power of Beelzebul to force out demons, what power do your people use to force demons out? So they will be your judges.
20
But if I use the power of God to force out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
21
"When a strong person with many weapons guards his own house, his possessions are safe.
22
But when someone stronger comes and defeats him, the stronger one will take away the weapons the first man trusted and will give away the possessions.