16Other people there asked Jesus to perform a miracle to prove ◄he was the Messiah/that he had come from God► MTY/EUP. They wanted to trap him into not being able to perform a miracle or into doing something ridiculous.
17But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “If the people in one nation fight against each other, their nation will be destroyed { they will destroy their nation}. If the people in MTY one house are divided, they will cease to remain as one family.
18Similarly, if Satan and his demons were fighting against each other, ◄his rule over them would certainly not last!/how would his rule over them last?► RHQ I say this because you are saying that I am expelling demons by the power of the ruler of his own demons
19Furthermore, if it is true that Satan enables me to expel demons, is it also true that your disciples who expel demons do so by Satan's power RHQ? No, that is not true. So they will show that you are not thinking logically.
20But because it is by the power MTY of God that I expel demons, I am showing you that the power of God to MET rule people's lives has come to you.”
21Then, to show that by expelling evil spirits he was making it clear that he was much more powerful than Satan, Jesus said MET, “When a strong man who has many weapons guards his own house, no one can steal the things in his house.
22But when someone else who is stronger attacks that man and subdues him, he is able to take away the weapons in which the man trusted. Then he can take from that man's house anything he wants to.
23No one can be neutral. Those who do not help me are opposing me, and those who do not gather people to become my disciples are causing those people to go away from me.”
24Then Jesus said this: “ Sometimes when an evil spirit leaves someone, it wanders around in desolate areas seeking someone in whom it can rest. If it does not find anyone, it says to itself, ‘I will return to the person in whom I used to live!’
25So it goes back and finds that the Spirit of God is not in control of that person's life. The person's life is like a house that has been {that someone has} swept clean and everything put {put everything} in order, but a house that is empty.
26Then this evil spirit goes and gets seven other spirits that are even more evil than it is. They all enter that person and begin living there. So, although that person's condition was bad before, it became much worse.”
27When Jesus said that, a woman who was listening called out to him, “ God is pleased with the woman who gave birth to you (sg) and let you nurse at her breasts!”
28But he replied, “God is much more pleased with those who hear his message and obey it!”
29When the group of people around Jesus got larger, he said, “ Many of you people who have been observing my ministry are evil. You want me to perform a miracle to prove that I have come from God, but the only miracle that I will perform for you is one like happened to Jonah.
30After Jonah was inside a huge fish for three days, God performed a miracle to restore Jonah . Jonah then went and testified about that to the people in Nineveh city. God will perform a similar miracle for me, the one who came from heaven. When you people have seen that miracle, you will believe my message.
31Long ago the queen from Sheba, far south of Israel, traveled a long distance to hear Solomon speak many wise things. But now I, a man who is much greater and wiser than Solomon, am here, but you have not listened to what I have told you. Therefore, at the time when God judges all people, the queen from Sheba will stand there, along with you people, and will condemn you.
32The people who lived in Nineveh city turned from their sinful ways when Jonah preached to them. But now I, who am greater than Jonah, have come and preached to you, but you have not turned from your sinful ways. Therefore, at the time when God judges all people, the people who lived in Nineveh will stand there with you and condemn you.”
33Then, to show them that they did not need more miracles, but that they needed only to understand better what he had already told them, he said to them MET, “People who light a lamp do not then hide it, or put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand so that those who enter their house can see things from its light. Similarly, I have not concealed God's truth. I have revealed it to you.
34Your eyes MET are like a lamp for your body, because they enable you to see things. If your eyes are healthy, you are able to see everything well MET. Similarly, if you(sg) accept my teaching, you will be able to know all that God wants you to know. But if your eyes are bad, you are not able to see anything. It is like being in darkness MET. And similarly, if you(pl) do not accept what I teach, you will not be able to know all the things that God wants you to know.
35Therefore, you(pl) do not need to see more miracles. You need to think carefully about what I have already told you, so that the things that you have heard from others do not cause you to remain in spiritual darkness MET.
36If you live completely according to God's truth, you will be able to know everything that God wants you to know. It will be like being in a room with a lamp shining brightly, enabling you to see everything clearly.”
37While Jesus finished saying those things, a Pharisee invited him to eat a meal with him. So Jesus went to his house and ate with him.
38The Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus did not follow the Pharisees' ritual by washing his hands before eating. The Pharisees washed their hands in a certain way to be cleansed from anything that might have contaminated them. They were afraid that God might reject them if they had touched something unacceptable to God.
39The Lord Jesus said to Him, “You Pharisees are concerned about things that are outside your bodies, not with what is in your ◄ inner beings/hearts► MET. You wash the outside of cups and dishes before you eat because you think that doing that will make you acceptable to God, but within yourselves you are very greedy and wicked.
40You foolish people! God is concerned about things that are outside our bodies, but ◄he is certainly also concerned about our inner beings!/isn't he also concerned about our hearts?► RHQ
41Give money to those who are poor. Give according to what you know within your ◄inner beings /hearts ► that you should give. Then you will be surprised to realize that you will be acceptable to God without having to perform all those rituals about washing.
Luke 11
Luke 11:16-41