16. Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven.
17. But Jesus, realizing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls.
18. So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
19. Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
20. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.
21. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe.
22. But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder.
23. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24. “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’
25. When it returns, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.
26. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
27. As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!”
28. But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”