Matthew 12:24-45

But when the Pharisees heard it (the people wondering if Jesus was the Messiah,) they said, “This fellow doesn’t cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of demons.”

Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself ends up desolate, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he opposes himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I, by Beelzebub, cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So then, they shall judge you.

“But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Also, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his things, unless he binds the strong man first? Then he can steal his things.

“Those not with me are against me; and those not helping me gather are scattering. Therefore, I tell you that men shall be forgiven of all manner of sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Whomever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but whomever speaks against the Holy Spirit, that will not be forgiven, neither in this world or in the one coming.

“Either make the tree good, and its fruit will be good; or else make the tree bad, and its fruit will be bad, for by its fruit, the tree is known. You generation of vipers! How can you, being evil, teach good things? Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks! A good man produces good things out of the good his heart treasures. And an evil man produces evil out of the evil his heart treasures. But I tell you, every idle word that people say, will require justification on the day of judgment. For by your words, you will be justified; or, by your words, you will be condemned.”

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, and said, “Rabbi, give us a sign to see.” But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign for proof. But no sign will be given to it except that of the prophet Jonah. Just like Jonah was three days and three nights in the great sea-creature’s belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

“The men of Nineveh will stand in judgment of this generation—and condemn it! They repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look! One greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south will stand in the judgment of this generation and condemn it. She came from the farthest part of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And look! One greater than Solomon is here!

“Now, when an unclean spirit leaves a man, he goes through dry places looking for a place to rest, but finds none. Then he says, ‘I will go back into my house which I left.’ And when he returns, he finds it empty, cleaned up, and decorated. Then he returns and takes seven other spirits even more wicked than he is. They all make themselves at home and the man is worse off than when he started. So shall it be for this wicked generation.”

Mark 3:22-30

The scribes that came from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub! It is by the prince of demons that he casts out demons!”

And he called them to him, and gave them a parable. “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom fights against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house opposes itself, that house will fall. If Satan rises up against himself, he is divided and can’t stand. That’s his end. No one can enter a strong man’s house and steal his things, unless he binds the strong man first? Then he can steal his things.

Truly, I tell you, all sins shall be forgiven of men, even blasphemies they may speak. But the one that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.” He said this because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”