Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just answer their accusation; he turns it back on them. By asking how Satan's kingdom could possibly "stand" if it were divided against itself, he highlights the utter absurdity of their charge that he was working with demonic power.
Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Pharisees have just accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus, knowing their malicious thoughts and the illogical nature of their accusation, responds with a common-sense analogy about internal division leading to ruin. He uses this principle to expose the absurdity of their claim, as Satan would not cast out his own forces, thereby weakening his kingdom.
The Pharisees whispered accusations, but Jesus heard their unspoken thoughts. How did He turn their own logic against them?
Jesus' ability to know the thoughts of His accusers (Matthew 12:25a) highlights His divine nature. This isn't just cleverness; it's omniscience, a characteristic belonging to God alone.
Their accusation was that He cast out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus' response wasn't just a denial; it was a strategic dismantling of their flawed reasoning.
Jesus uses the image of a divided house that falls. What does this reveal about the nature of God's kingdom and the forces opposing it?
The analogy Jesus uses in Matthew 12:25—that a divided kingdom, city, or house cannot stand—serves a crucial theological purpose. It's not just a logical deduction; it's a declaration about the fundamental nature of spiritual power and authority.
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Understand the original words
basileia · Greek Noun
The comprehensive sovereign reign and authority of God over His creation; in the Bible, it refers to the reality where God’s will is performed and His rule is acknowledged.
Jesus uses a common-sense argument rooted in the reality of human governance and social structures to expose the illogical and malicious nature of the Pharisees' accusation against him. He points out that if his power came from Satan, Satan's own kingdom would be in self-destructive conflict, which is not the case.
c. 200 BC - 1st century AD
Rise of Hellenistic Influence and Sectarianism
The Jewish people were increasingly influenced by Hellenistic culture and political powers. Within Judaism, various religious factions like the Pharisees and Sadducees developed, sometimes with sharp disagreements.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus begins his public ministry, performing miracles and teaching about the Kingdom of God, attracting large crowds but also drawing the attention and suspicion of religious authorities.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus Heals a Blind and Dumb Demon-Possessed Man
In Galilee, Jesus casts out a demon from a man who was blind and mute, leading to widespread amazement. This miracle is the immediate context for Jesus' words in Matthew 12:25.
c. 30-33 AD
Pharisees Accuse Jesus of Using Beelzebub
In response to Jesus' healing of the demon-possessed man, the Pharisees, driven by their opposition, accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Discourse on Division and Blasphemy
Jesus counters the Pharisees' accusation by arguing that Satan would not divide his own kingdom and warns them against blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the unforgivable sin.
This passage presents a very similar argument from Jesus, directly questioning how Satan's kingdom could possibly stand if it were casting itself out, highlighting the internal contradiction the Pharisees were accusing Jesus of.
Luke 11:17Luke's account also records Jesus' response to accusations of demonic power, emphasizing the same logic: a divided kingdom, whether a nation or a household, cannot survive, thus exposing the fallacy of their accusation against Him.
1 Samuel 15:23This passage speaks to the disastrous consequences of rebellion and division within a kingdom, illustrating the principle that disunity leads to ruin, which Jesus applies to the spiritual realm.
Proverbs 24:3-4This proverb highlights that wisdom and understanding, which lead to strength and prosperity, are built through counsel and knowledge, implying that division and internal conflict are the pathways to destruction, a concept Jesus uses to dismantle the Pharisees' logic.
barnesMatthew 12:25: "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:"
And Jesus knew their thoughts ... - To know the thoughts of the heart belongs only to God, Psalm 139:2 ; Jeremiah 17:10 . Every kingdom ... - Their subtle and cunning device was completely foiled, and Jesus made their argument recoil on their own heads. A kingdom or a family can prosper only by living i…
bensonMatthew 12:25: "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:"
Matthew 12:25-26 . And Jesus knew their thoughts — “It often happens, that through ignorance or weakness men form wrong judgments of things;” a conduct which, though censurable, admits of some excuse: “but when wrong judgments proceed from evil dispositions, then, indeed, do they become highly culpable.…
Jesus doesn't just answer their accusation; he turns it back on them. By asking how Satan's kingdom could possibly "stand" if it were divided against itself, he highlights the utter absurdity of their charge that he was working with demonic power.
The Pharisees have just accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus, knowing their malicious thoughts and the illogical nature of their accusation, responds with a common-sense analogy about internal division leading to ruin. He uses this principle to expose the absurdity of their claim, as Satan would not cast out his own forces, thereby weakening his kingdom.
The Pharisees have just accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus, knowing their malicious thoughts and the illogical nature of their accusation, responds with a common-sense analogy about internal division leading to ruin. He uses this principle to expose the absurdity of their claim, as Satan would not cast out his own forces, thereby weakening his kingdom.
"Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand." — Jesus doesn't just answer their accusation; he turns it back on them. By asking how Satan's kingdom could possibly "stand" if it were divided against itself, he highlights the utter absurdity of thei…
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Last reviewed October 2026