Luke 11:4-22

4Forgive us as we forgive everyone else. Don’t allow us to be tempted.”

5Jesus said to his disciples, “Suppose one of you has a friend. Suppose you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread.

6A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don’t have anything to serve him.’

7Your friend might answer you from inside his house, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’

8I can guarantee that although he doesn’t want to get up to give you anything, he will get up and give you whatever you need because he is your friend and because you were so bold.

9“So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.

10Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the person who knocks, the door will be opened.

11“If your child asks you, his father, for a fish, would you give him a snake instead?

12Or if your child asks you for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?

13Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

14Jesus was forcing a demon out of a man. The demon had made the man unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man began to talk. The people were amazed.

15But some of them said, “He can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.”

16Others wanted to test Jesus and demanded that he show them some miraculous sign from heaven.

17Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. A house divided against itself falls.

18Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? I say this because you say Beelzebul helps me force demons out of people.

19If I force demons out with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That’s why they will be your judges.

20But if I force out demons with the help of God’s power, then God’s kingdom has come to you.

21“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe.

22But a stronger man than he may attack him and defeat him. Then the stronger man will take away all the weapons in which the strong man trusted and will divide the loot.