Luke 11:16-50
English Standard Version
Chapter 11
16while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’
25And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.
26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first."
27As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!"
28But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
29When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
30For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
33"No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.
34Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.
35Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness.
36If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light."
37While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table.
38The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner.
39And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
40You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?
41But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
42"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it."
45One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also."
46And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
47Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.
48So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs.
49Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’
50so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation,
