Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
- KJV But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
- BSB But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”
- NASB But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
- NLT But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Pharisees counter that Jesus casts out demons only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.
Overview
Unable to deny the miracle, they attribute it to Satan rather than to God. This slander reveals the depth of their hardened opposition. By crediting the Spirit's work to the devil, they edge toward the unforgivable blasphemy Jesus will soon name.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Mark 3:22The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”
- Matt 9:34But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”
- Luke 11:15But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
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Original language
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