The Complete Sayings of Jesus
The Man Blind, Mute, and Bedeviled — Doubting Pharisees Admonished — Parables — "Every Idle Word."
A.D. 28. Age 31 Capernaum.
Matthew 12, 22-37: Luke 11, 17-23: Mark 3, 22-29.
UNTO Jesus was brought one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb; and he healed him, insomuch that the
blind and dumb both spake and saw. The people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But the
Pharisees said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation; and every city or house divided against itself falleth: it shall not stand: and if
Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? because ye say that
I cast out devils through Beelzebub.1
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall
be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils by the Spirit of God, no doubt then the
kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his
goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. When a strong man armed
keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome
him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth the spoils. He that is not with me
is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto the sons of men: but
the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a
word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost is in
danger of eternal damnation: it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the
world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt: for
the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good
things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of
the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day
of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Footnotes:
1From Matthew, and Luke. In Part 19 of this book a rebuke similar to the following, but addressed to certain
scribes, is a part of Mark's narrative.