Luke 11:15-24

15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”

16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.

18 You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive?

19 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.

20 But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.

21 For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—

22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

23 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

24 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’

Footnotes

• [a] Greek Beelzeboul; also in 11:18, 19 . Other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
• [b] Greek by the finger of God.
• [c] Greek unclean.