One day Jesus cast a demon out of a man who
couldn't speak, and the man's voice returned to him. The crowd was amazed, but
some said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan,
the prince of demons!" Trying to test Jesus, others asked for a miraculous
sign from heaven to see if he was from God.
He
knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed.
A divided home is also doomed. You say I am empowered by the prince of demons.
But if Satan is fighting against himself by empowering me to cast out his
demons, how can his kingdom survive? And if I am empowered by the prince of
demons, what about your own followers? They cast out demons, too, so they will
judge you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the
power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you."
