He was casting out a deaf-mute demon, and it happened as the demon went out the deaf-mute talked. And the people marveled, but some of them said: It is through Beelzebub the prince of the demons that he drives out the demons. But others, making trial of him, demanded of him a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them: Every kingdom that is divided against itself is made desolate, and house that is against house collapses. And if even Satan is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Since you say that through Beelzebub I drive out the demons. But if I drive out the demons through Beelzebub, through whom do your sons drive them out? Therefore they will be judges of you. But if through the finger of God I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come suddenly upon you. When the strong man, well armed, guards his own estate, his possessions are in peace; but when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor in which he had trusted, and he gives away his spoils. He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me, scatters. When the unclean spirit goes forth from a man, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a place to rest, and when it does not find one it says: I will return to my house that I came out from; and it comes and finds it swept and furnished. Then it goes and picks up other spirits worse than itself, seven of them, and they go in and settle there; and the end for that man is worse than the beginning.
While he was saying this, it happened that a woman in the crowd raised her voice and cried to him: Blessed is the womb that carried you, and the breasts that you sucked. But he said to her: Blessed rather are those who listen to the word of God and obey it.
As the crowds gathered he began to say: This generation is a corrupt generation. It asks for a sign, but no sign shall be given it unless it be the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the people of Nineveh so is the son of man to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up on the day of judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them; because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, there is more than Solomon here. The men of Nineveh will arise on the day of judgment with this generation and condemn it; because they repented upon the proclamation of Jonah, and behold, there is more than Jonah here. No one lights a lamp and then puts it in a hiding place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is clear, the whole of your body is also full of light; but when it is soiled, your body also is in darkness. Consider then whether the light in you may not be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part that is dark, it will all be light as when the lamp illuminates you with its beam.
While he was talking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; and when he entered, he took his place at table. And the Pharisee seeing this was surprised that he had not washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees scour the outside of the cup and the plate, but what is inside you teems with rapacity and corruption. You fools. Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give away what is inside as charity, and see, all is clean with you. But woe to you Pharisees, because you pay a tenth on the mint and the rue and every kind of potherb, but you pass over the judgment and the love of God; but you should have done that, without neglecting the other. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the first seats in the synagogues and the salutations in the public places. Woe to you, because you are like concealed unmarked graves, and people walk upon you without knowing it. One of those expert in the law spoke up and said to him: Master, in saying this you attack us also. But he said: And woe to you, experts in the law, because you load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and you yourselves do not put a finger to the burdens. Woe to you, because you build the tombs of the prophets, but your fathers killed them. But you are witnesses, and you join in approval of their actions, because they killed them and you build their tombs. Therefore even the wisdom of God has said: I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of these they will kill and persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets that has been spilled since the establishment of the world may be exacted from this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah who was killed between the altar and the temple. Yes, I tell you, it will be exacted from this generation. Woe to you, experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You did not go in yourselves, and you prevented those who tried to go in. And when he went away from them, the scribes and Pharisees began to hate him terribly, and to try to make him speak carelessly about more matters, lying in wait to catch him up on something he might let fall.
41 As the multitude gathered by tens of thousands, so that they trampled each other, he began to speak first to his disciples: Guard yourselves against the leaven, that is, the hypocrisy, of the Pharisees. There is nothing concealed that shall not be revealed, nothing secret that shall not be known. Because of which, what you say in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have said in someone's ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. But I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body but are able to do nothing more after that. I will show you which one to fear. Fear the one who has authority after killing you to throw you into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear that one. Are not five sparrows sold for two coppers? And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. But even the hairs of your heads are all numbered. Have no fear; you are worth many sparrows. I tell you, everyone who will acknowledge me before men the son of man will acknowledge before the angels of God; but he who denies me in the sight of men shall be denied in the sight of the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the son of man shall have it forgiven him; but for the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the powers and the authorities, do not be concerned about how you will defend yourselves and what you will say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you must say.
Someone in the crowd said to him: Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. But he said to him: My good man, who appointed me your judge or your arbitrator? And he said to them: Look to it and keep yourselves from all greed, because a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. And he told them a parable, saying: There was a certain rich man whose land was fruitful. And he deliberated within himself, saying: What shall I do, since I have no place where I can store all my crops? And he said: Here is what I will do. I will tear down my granaries and build bigger ones, and I will bring all my grain and my goods together there, and I will say to my souclass="underline" Soul, you have many good things stored away, for many years. Rest, eat, drink, enjoy yourself. But God said to him: You fool, they demand that soul of you tonight. Who will have what you provided? So much for him who stores up treasures for himself rather than being rich for God.
And he said to his disciples: Therefore I tell you, do not take thought for your life, what you will eat, or for your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Think of the ravens, that they do not sow or harvest, they have neither storehouse nor granary, and God feeds them. How much more are you worth than the birds! Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his growth? If then you cannot achieve the least, why are you concerned about the rest? Think of the lilies, how they grow. They do not toil or spin; yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass in the field which grows today and tomorrow is thrown in the oven, how much more will he array you, you men of little faith! Do not you then keep searching for what you can eat and what you can drink, and do not be troubled, for all the nations of the world search for these things, and your father knows that you need them; only search for his kingdom, and all these things will be added also. Do not fear, little flock; because your father has been well pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell what you own and give it away as charity; make yourselves purses that do not wear out, an infallible treasure house in heaven, where no thief attacks, no moth corrupts; for where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.