If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Parallel Translations
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If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
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So if Satan be devided with in him silfe: how shall his kyngdome endure? Because ye saye that I cast out devyls by the power of Belzebub.
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So if Satan also bee deuided against himselfe, howe shall his kingdome stande, because yee say that I cast out deuils through Beelzebub?
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to Luke 11:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 12:26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
- Matthew 12:31-34 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come. “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
- Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”
- Luke 11:15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
- James 3:5-8 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (5 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain By the name and power of Beelzebub.
By the name and power of Beelzebub.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how…
18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
Ver. 18. See Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Mar 3:24.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils,.... Which…
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils,.... Which is what the Pharisees charged him with; in the Greek copies, and so in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions it is read, "by Beelzebul", and so in the preceding verses; See Gill on Mat 10:25.
By whom do your sons cast them out? by whose help? or in whose name? for the Jews pretended to cast out devils, and to heal those that were possessed with them; which they did sometimes, by making use of the names of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and sometimes of the name of Solomon: Josephus (q) speaks of many in his time, who had this power of healing; and he himself saw one Eleazar, in the presence of Vespasian, his children, officers, and soldiers, cure many that were possessed of devils: and his method was, by putting a ring to the nose of the possessed, under the seal of which, was a root directed to by Solomon, and thereby brought out the unclean spirit; and as soon as the man was healed, he adjured the devil never to return more; at which time he made mention of the name of Solomon, and rehearsed the enchantments written by him: the said Eleazar, to give a specimen of the efficacy of his art, set a cup full of water upon the ground, and commanded the devil when he went out of the man, to turn it over, as a sign that he had left the man, and the devil immediately obeyed his order: now if these sons of theirs cast out devils, which they would not say were done by the help of the devil, or in his name, why should they ascribe the ejection of devils by Christ, to a diabolical assistance?
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therefore shall they be your judges; or "judges against you", as the Arabic version; or "shall reprove you", as the Ethiopic; convict and condemn you; See Gill on Mat 12:27.
(q) Antiqu. Jud. l. 8. c. 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall…
If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. Throughout this argument Jesus assumes the existence of a kingdom of evil, all armed and thoroughly organized to carry out its dread purposes. He concedes, too, in language which admits of no questioning, the existence of a chief of this evil confederacy. Throughout his reply, the Master, while carefully bearing in mind the ability and skill of his enemies who had suggested this questioning to the people, addresses himself to the common sense of the mixed multitude who were present on this occasion. The argument is perfectly simple. It is not thinkable that the prince of evil would fight against himself, which he would be doing if he put such mighty weapons into Jesus" hands.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 If Satan is divided against himself
If Satan is divided against himself
"Satan" here is referring to the demons who follow Satan as well as to Satan himself. AT: "If Satan and members of his kingdom are fighting among themselves" (See: Metonymy)
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If Satan ... how will his kingdom stand?
Jesus uses a question to teach the people. This can be translated as a statement. AT: "If Satan ... his kingdom will not last." or "If Satan ... his kingdom will fall apart." (See: Rhetorical Question)
For you say I cast out demons by Beelzebul
"For you say that it is by the power of Beelzebul that I make demons leave people." The next part of his argument can be stated explicitly: AT: "For you say that it is by the power of Beelzebul that I make demons leave people. That would mean that Satan is divided against himself" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
If I ... by whom do your followers drive them out?
"If I ... by whose power do your followers force demons to leave people?" Jesus uses a question to teach the people. The meaning of Jesus' question can be made explicit. AT: "If I ... then we must agree that your followers also drive out demons by Beelzebul's power. But you do not believe that it is true." (See: Rhetorical Question and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
they will be your judges
"your followers who cast out demons by God's power will judge you for saying that I cast out demons by Beelzebul's power"
by the finger of God
The "finger of God" refers to God's power. (See: Metonymy)
then the kingdom of God has come to you
"this shows that God's kingdom has come to you"
translationWords
Satan
kingdom
judge, judges
God
kingdom of God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.