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Jesus was forcing a demon out of a man. The demon had made the man unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man began to talk. The people were amazed.
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But some of them said, "He can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons."
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Others wanted to test Jesus and demanded that he show them some miraculous sign from heaven.
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Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. A house divided against itself falls.
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Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? I say this because you say Beelzebul helps me force demons out of people.
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If I force demons out with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That's why they will be your judges.
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But if I force out demons with the help of God's power, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
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"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe.
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But a stronger man than he may attack him and defeat him. Then the stronger man will take away all the weapons in which the strong man trusted and will divide the loot.
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"Whoever isn't with me is against me. Whoever doesn't gather with me scatters.
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"When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn't find any. Then it says, 'I'll go back to the home I left.'