Mark 3:22

Some teachers of the Jewish law that were from Jerusalem were there in that place. They said, “The boss over all the bad spirits is living inside Jesus. That bad spirit boss is called Beelzebul, and he is also called Satan. He is the one that gives Jesus the power to force bad spirits out of people.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

In Context

21Somebody went and told Jesus’s family about him. So his family said, “He is crazy in his head,” and they went to get him. They wanted to take him home to look after him.

23Jesus knew the law teachers were rubbishing him like that, so he called out to them and said, “Come here and listen to me.” Then he told them stories to teach them. He said, “Think about Satan, the boss over the bad spirits. Do you reckon he fights against his own mob of bad spirits? That doesn’t make sense.

Read all of Mark 3

Cross References

Matthew 11:18Those kids are a picture of you mob. You are just like those kids. You rubbish God’s people no matter what they do. You see, John the Baptiser didn’t go to parties and eat lots of good food, and he didn’t drink wine. But you rubbished him and said, ‘He’s got a bad spirit living inside him.’

John 7:20The people standing there said, “What are you talking about? Nobody is trying to kill you. We reckon you’ve got a bad spirit in you.”

John 8:52Then the Jewish leaders said, “Now we know for sure that you have a bad spirit in you. Think about all of our grand-fathers that lived a long time ago. They all died. Our father Abraham died, and so did all the men that told people God’s messages. But you say, ‘If anyone does what I say, they will never finish up.’ You are wrong.

Matthew Henry on Mark 3:14-22

The Calling of the Apostles. 13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 16 And Simon he surnamed Peter; 17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Mark 3:22