Bible Strands
Mark 3:23
So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus gathers the Jerusalem scribes to address their accusation that He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebul. He speaks this response immediately after their claim and before explaining the logical impossibility of a divided kingdom.
The words — The Greek word πῶς (pōs) literally means "how," framing the opening rhetorical question that exposes the contradiction in the accusation. The verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) indicates He was speaking this challenge in parables to the gathered opponents.
The thread — This logical rebuttal against divided kingdoms runs parallel in Matthew 12:25 and Luke 11:17. The method of teaching matches the pattern recorded in Matthew 13:34 regarding Jesus speaking to crowds exclusively through parables.
Why it lands — The text states that a kingdom or house divided against itself cannot stand. It asks the reader to apply this structural principle to reject the premise that Satan would operate against his own interests.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
Cross-references
- Matthew 12:25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
- Luke 11:17 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.
- Matthew 13:34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.
- Matthew 4:10 “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
- Mark 4:2 And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,
- Psalms 49:4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp: