God’s Word Translation
Matthew 12:26
26If Satan forces Satan out, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom last?
Matthew 12:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
- New International Version (NIV)If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
- New King James Version (NKJV)If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Context of Matthew 12:26
24When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.” 25Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not last. If Satan forces Satan out, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom last? 27If I force demons out of people with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That’s why they will be your judges. 28But if I force demons out with the help of God’s Spirit, then God’s kingdom has come to you.
Read all of Matthew 12Matthew 12:26 word by word
καὶ εἰ ὁ σατανᾶς τὸν σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη· πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- Satanὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- SatanΣατανᾶςSatanas · SatanG4567
- cast outἐκβάλλωekballō · to expelG1544
- he is dividedμερίζωmerizō · to divideG3307
- againstἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- shallἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
Cross-references for Matthew 12:26
- John 12:31“This world is being judged now. The ruler of this world will be thrown out now.
- John 14:30The ruler of this world has no power over me. But he’s coming, so I won’t talk with you much longer.
- John 16:11He will convince the world that God judges it, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. As a result, they don’t see the light of the Good News about Christ’s glory. It is Christ who is God’s image.
- Colossians 1:13God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of his Son, whom he loves.
- 1 John 5:19We know that we are from God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
- Revelation 9:11The king who ruled them was the angel from the bottomless pit. In Hebrew he is called Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
- Revelation 12:9The huge serpent was thrown down. That ancient snake, named Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was thrown down to earth. Its angels were thrown down with it.
- Revelation 16:10The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom turned dark. People gnawed on their tongues in anguish
- Revelation 20:2He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years.
Commentaries on Matthew 12:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26If Satan cast out Satan - A good cause will produce a good effect, and an evil cause an evil effect. Were I on Satan's side, I would act for his interest and confirm his influence among you; but I oppose his maxims by my doctrine, and his influence by my power.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-30Verses 22-30 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil - See the notes at Matthew 4:24. The same account, substantially, is found in Mark 3:22-27, and Luke 11:14-26. Matthew 12:23 Is not this the Son of David? - That is, Is not this the promised “descendant” of David, the Messiah? They were acquainted with the prophecy in Isaiah 35:5, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped,” and they inferred…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-30Verses 22-30 A soul under Satan's power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eyes by unbelief, and seals up the lips from prayer. The more people magnified Christ, the more desirous the Pharisees were to vilify him. It was evident that if Satan aided Jesus in casting out devils, the kingdom of hell was divided against itself; how then could…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Jesus said in essence, “If I drive out demons by the power of Satan, then Satan is fighting against his own kingdom. That would be foolish for him to do.”Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?--The argument here is irresistible. "No organized society can stand--whether kingdom, city, or household--when turned against itself; such intestine war is suicidal: But the works I do are destructive of Satan's kingdom: That I should be in league with Satan, therefore, is incredible and absurd."Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 12:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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