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Jesus
was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the
man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of
them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving
out demons." Others tested him by asking for a sign from
heaven.
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom
divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against
itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his
kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out
demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by
whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your
judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the
kingdom of God has come to you.
"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his
possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and
overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted
and divides up the spoils.
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