BCP: The Third Sunday in Lent
14And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spoke: and the people wondered. 15But some of them said, ‘He casteth out devils through Beelzebub* the chief of the devils’. 16And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation: and a house divided against a house falleth. 18If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest: and finding none, he saith, “I will return unto my house whence I came out”. 25And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.’
27And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked’. 28But he said, ‘Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it’.