Bible Strands
Matthew 12:24
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Pharisees respond to the crowd’s wonder about Jesus’ miracles by publicly accusing him of demonic alliance. They voice this charge immediately after observing his exorcism, before Jesus addresses their reasoning.
The words — The Greek οὐκ ἐκβάλλει (ouk ekballō) literally means “does not cast out,” capturing the Pharisees’ initial denial before they assert their alternative claim. Their accusation hinges on Beelzebul as the recognized prince of demons.
The thread — This exact charge appears in Matthew 9:34, Mark 3:22, and Luke 11:15 whenever Jesus’ deliverance ministry provokes religious scrutiny. Each passage records leaders attributing his exorcisms to demonic power rather than divine authority.
Why it lands — The text presents a binary claim that spiritual power must originate from either God or Satan, leaving no middle ground. A reader must decide whether to accept the accusation or recognize its logical contradiction before Jesus’ response dismantles it.
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
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Cross-references
- Mark 3:22 And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.”
- Matthew 9:34 But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.”
- Luke 11:15 but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”