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Luke 11:18

in Luke 11

If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

KJV

If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

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This verse in Luke 11

Commentary

11 notes on this verse
And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?.... This is the accommodation of the above parables, or proverbial sentences; suggesting, that Satan must be against himself, if what the Pharisees said was true; and consequently, his kingdom and government, could not long subsist: because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub; which is all one as to say, that Satan is divided against himself, which is not reasonable to suppose; See Gill on Mat 12:26 and See Gill on Mar 3:26.

This site's exposition

Every kingdom divided against itself

on Luke 11:17-18

Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation states a principle of ordinary politics before Jesus applies it to the accusation just made against him. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand exposes the charge as self defeating, for casting out a demon is an act against Satan’s own interest, and no ruler funds his own overthrow. The logic is not a debating trick but a genuine argument from the nature of a kingdom, that a house at war with itself has already begun to fall, whatever house is meant.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 80 · Written before 444.

proposed

And what said Christ to these things? First, indeed, He proves Himself to be God, by knowing even that which was secretly whispered among them: for He knew their thoughts. And it is an act that altogether belongs to God, to be able to know what is in the mind and heart, and even what is spoken anywhere by men secretly. ... Very wisely therefore, omitting these things, He proceeds to arguments, drawn indeed from common things, but which have the force of truth in them; "For every kingdom," He says, "divided against itself, becomes desolate; and every house against a house, falls: and if Satan be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?" For that which establishes kingdoms is the fidelity of subjects, and the obedience of those under the royal sceptre: and houses are established when those who belong to them in no way whatsoever thwart one another, but, on the contrary, accord both in will and deed. And so I suppose it would establish the kingdom too of Beelzebub, had he determined to abstain from every thing contrary to himself. How then does Satan cast out Satan? It follows then that devils do not depart from men of their own accord, but retire unwillingly. Satan, He says, does not fight with himself. He does not rebuke his own satellites. He does not permit himself to injure his own armour-bearers. On the contrary, he aids his kingdom. It remains, therefore for you to understand, that I crush Satan by divine power.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

(ubi sup.) He did not answer them from the Scriptures, since they gave no heed to them, explaining them away falsely; but he answers them from things of every day occurrence. For a house and a city if it be divided is quickly scattered to nothing; and likewise a kingdom, than which nothing is stronger. For the harmony of the inhabitants maintains houses and kingdoms. If then, says He, I cast out devils by means of a devil, there is dissension among them, and their power perishes. Hence He adds, But if Satan be divided against himself, how shall he stand? For Satan resists not himself, nor hurts his soldiers, but rather strengthens his kingdom. It is then by Divine power alone that I crush Satan under my feet.

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book IV · Written before 220.

proposed

In like manner, it is He who will give the Holy Spirit, at whose command is also the unholy spirit. When He cast out the "demon which was dumb" (and by a cure of this sort verified Isaiah), and having been charged with casting out demons by Beelzebub, He said, "If I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? " By such a question what does He otherwise mean, than that He ejects the spirits by the same power by which their sons also did-that is, by the power of the Creator?

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

On the Gospel of Luke · Written before 735.

proposed

But if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand, because you say that I cast out demons in Beelzebub? By saying this, he wanted it to be understood from their own confession that by not believing in him, they had chosen to …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Luke · Written before 1107.

proposed

The Lord says to them: how is it possible for a demon to cast out another demon? This would already be the destruction of his kingdom. For if they place their kingdom and rest in dwelling within people, and their own prince casts them out, …
4 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bonaventure

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 11 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

But he, when he saw their thoughts, said to them. After the expression of the Jewish fraud, there is here subjoined the refutation of the fraud expressed. In refuting falsehood, he proceeds in this order: first he leads to a manifest impossibility, second he brings …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Now, if Satan should thus be divided against himself, he would hasten his own overthrow, which you cannot suppose an enemy to do that acts so subtlely for his own establishment, and is so solicitous to have his kingdom stand." 2.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

The connection between these verses and those which immediately precede them, is striking and instructive. In the preceding verses, our Lord Jesus Christ had been showing the power and importance of prayer. In the verses before us, he delivers a man from a 'mute' devil. The miracle is evidently intended to throw fresh light on the lesson. The same Savior who encourages us to pray — is the Savior who destroys Satan's power over our members, and restores our tongues to their proper use.
The connection between these verses and those which immediately precede them, is striking and instructive. In the preceding verses, our Lord Jesus Christ had been showing the power and importance of prayer. In the verses before us, he delivers a man from a 'mute' devil. The miracle is evidently intended to throw fresh light on the lesson. The same Savior who encourages us to pray — is the Savior who destroys Satan's power over our members, and restores our tongues to their proper use. Let us notice, firstly, in these verses — the variety of ways in which Satan exhibits his desire to injure man. We read of a 'mute' devil. Sometimes in the Gospel we are told of an "unclean" devil. Sometimes we are told of a raging and violent devil. Here we are told of one under whose influence the unhappy person possessed by him became mute. Many are the devices of Satan. It is foolish to suppose that he always works in the same manner. One thing alone is the common mark of all his operations — he delights to inflict injury and do harm! There is something very instructive in the case before us. Do we suppose, because bodily possession by Satan is not so glaringly manifest as it once was — that the great enemy is less active in doing mischief than he used to be? If we think so — then we have much to learn. Do we suppose that there is no such thing as the influence of a mute devil in the present day? If we do, we had better think again. What shall we say of those who never speak to God, who never use their tongues in prayer and praise, who never employ that organ which is a man's "glory," in the service of Him who made it? What shall we say, in a word, of those who can speak to everyone but God? What can we say, but that Satan has stripped them of the truest use of a tongue? What ought we to say, but that they are possessed with a mute devil?

The words behind it

21 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

5 in all, six open

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 4:10

    “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 6:13–14

      Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.

    • Deuteronomy 10:20

      You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

    • Joshua 24:14

      Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

    • Luke 4:8

      But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

    • 1 Samuel 7:3

      Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts…

  • Through

    Luke 11:15

    but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”

    it leads to

    • Matthew 9:34

      But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.”

  • Through

    Matthew 12:26

    If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

    it leads to

    • Colossians 1:13

      He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

    • John 12:31

      Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out.

Where this verse is studied

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About Luke

The Return of the Prodigal Son, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
The Return of the Prodigal Son, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
Luke: the study guide →Read Luke 11 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 11; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 80; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.

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