ESV 22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. MSG 22 Next a poor demon-afflicted wretch, both blind and deaf, was set down before him. Jesus healed him, gave him his sight and hearing. ESV 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" MSG 23 The people who saw it were impressed - "This has to be the Son of David!" ESV 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." MSG 24 But the Pharisees, when they heard the report, were cynical. "Black magic," they said. "Some devil trick he's pulled from his sleeve." ESV 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. MSG 25 Jesus confronted their slander. "A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that's in a constant squabble disintegrates; ESV 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? MSG 26 if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? ESV 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. MSG 27 If you're slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn't the same mud stick to your own exorcists? ESV 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. MSG 28 "But if it's by God's power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God's kingdom is here for sure. ESV 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. MSG 29 How in the world do you think it's possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. ESV 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. MSG 30 "This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse. ESV 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. MSG 31 "There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God's Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. ESV 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. MSG 32 If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you're sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives. ESV 33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. MSG 33 "If you grow a healthy tree, you'll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you'll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree. ESV 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. MSG 34 "You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. ESV 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. MSG 35 A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. ESV 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, MSG 36 Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. ESV 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." MSG 37 Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation."
MSG 22 Next a poor demon-afflicted wretch, both blind and deaf, was set down before him. Jesus healed him, gave him his sight and hearing. MSG 23 The people who saw it were impressed - "This has to be the Son of David!" MSG 24 But the Pharisees, when they heard the report, were cynical. "Black magic," they said. "Some devil trick he's pulled from his sleeve." MSG 25 Jesus confronted their slander. "A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that's in a constant squabble disintegrates; MSG 26 if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? MSG 27 If you're slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn't the same mud stick to your own exorcists? MSG 28 "But if it's by God's power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God's kingdom is here for sure. MSG 29 How in the world do you think it's possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out. MSG 30 "This is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you're not on my side, you're the enemy; if you're not helping, you're making things worse. MSG 31 "There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against God's Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. MSG 32 If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, you're sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives. MSG 33 "If you grow a healthy tree, you'll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you'll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree. MSG 34 "You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. MSG 35 A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. MSG 36 Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. MSG 37 Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation."