¹⁸ If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?—for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul.

²⁶ If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand?

³¹ Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{(A) 32} Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.^(B)

A Tree and Its Fruit

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.^{(C) 34} You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.^(D)

⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a such a small fire!^{(A) 6} And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.^{[a](B) 7} For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless^[b] evil, full of deadly poison.^(C)

¹⁵ But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”

¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,