13. Therefore if you, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
14. And he was expelling a mute demon. Now it happened that when the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were astonished.
15. But some of them said, “By Beelzebul the ruler of demons he expels demons!”
16. And others, in order to test him, were demanding from him a sign from heaven.
17. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
18. So if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I expel demons by Beelzebul.
19. But if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them? For this reason they will be your judges!
20. But if I expel demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you!
21. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe.
22. But when a stronger man attacks him and conquers him, he takes away his full armor in which he trusted and distributes his plunder.
23. The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me scatters.
24. “Whenever an unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it travels through waterless places searching for rest, and does not find it. It says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came out.’