012:022 At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb;
and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
012:023 And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said,
"Can this be the Son of David?"
012:024 The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons
by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."
012:025 Knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Every kingdom in which
civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or house
in which there is internal strife will be brought low.
012:026 And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has begun to make war on himself:
how therefore shall his kingdom last?
012:027 And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons,
by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore
shall be your judges.
012:028 But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I expel
the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has
come upon you.
012:029 Again, how can any one enter the house of a strong man and carry
off his goods, unless first of all he masters and secures
the strong man: then he will ransack his house.
012:030 "The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not
gathering with me is scattering abroad.
012:031 This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for every
other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking
against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness.
012:032 And whoever shall speak against the Son of Man may obtain forgiveness;
but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, neither in this
nor in the coming age shall he obtain forgiveness."
012:033 "Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit wholesome,
or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for the tree
is known by its fruit.
012:034 O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil?
For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.
012:035 A good man from his good store produces good things, and a bad
man from his bad store produces bad things.
012:036 But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall
speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.
012:037 For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words
shall be condemned."
012:038 Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees
who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."
012:039 "Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour
for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign
of the Prophet Jonah.
012:040 For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly,
so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.
012:041 There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement
together with the present generation, and will condemn it;
because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark!
there is One greater than Jonah here.
012:042 The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together
with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she
came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.
012:043 "No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man,
then he roams about in places where there is no water,
seeking rest but finding none.
012:044 Then he says, `I will return to my house that I left;'
and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean,
and in good order.
012:045 Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more
wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in
the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first.
So will it be also with the present wicked generation."
012:046 While He was still addressing the people His mother and His
brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring
to speak to Him.
012:047 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are
standing outside, and desire to speak to you."