Bible in Basic English
And if I, by Beelzebul, send out evil spirits, by whose help do your sons send them out? so let them be your judges.
But if I, by the finger of God, send out evil spirits, then the kingdom of God has overtaken you.
When the strong man armed keeps watch over his house, then his goods are safe:
But when one who is stronger makes an attack on him and overcomes him, he takes away his instruments of war, in which he had put his faith, and makes division of his goods.
He who is not with me is against me, and he who will not give me help in getting people together is driving them away.
The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of a man, goes through dry places, looking for rest; and when he does not get it, he says, I will go back to my house from which I came.
And when he comes, he sees that it has been made fair and clean.
Then he goes and gets seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they go in, and take their places there: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.
And it came about that when he said these things, a certain woman among the people said in a loud voice, Happy is the body which gave you birth, and the breasts from which you took milk.
But he said, More happy are they who give hearing to the word of God and keep it.
And when a great number of people came together to him, he said, This generation is an evil generation: it is looking for a sign and no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of man be to this generation.
The queen of the South will come up on the day of judging and give her decision against the men of this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now something greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: for they were turned away from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; but now something greater than Jonah is here.
No man, when the light has been lighted, puts it in a secret place, or under a vessel, but on its table, so that those who come in may see the light.
The light of the body is the eye: when your eye is true, all your body is full of light; but when it is evil, your body is dark.
So take care that the light which is in you is not dark.
If, then, all your body is light, with no part of it dark, it will be completely full of light, as when a flame with its bright shining gives you light.
Now, while he was talking, a Pharisee made a request that he would come to a meal with him; and he went in and took his seat at the meal.
And when the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised because he came to the meal without first washing himself.
And the Lord said to him, You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and the plate clean; but inside you are thieves and full of evil.
O you foolish ones! did not he who made the outside in the same way make the inside?
But if you give to the poor such things as you are able, then all things are clean to you.
But a curse is on you, Pharisees! for you make men give a tenth of every sort of plant, and give no thought to right and the love of God; but it is right for you to do these things, and not let the others be undone.
A curse is on you, Pharisees! for your desires are for the most important seats in the Synagogues and for words of respect said to you in the market-place.
A curse is on you! for you are like the resting-places of dead men, which are not seen, and men go walking over them without knowledge of it.
And one of the teachers of the law, answering, said to him, Master, in saying this, you give a bad name to us as to them.
And he said, A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for while other men are crushed under the weight of the rules you make for them, you yourselves do not put so much as one finger to them.
A curse is on you! for you make resting-places for the bodies of the prophets, but your fathers put them to death.
So you are witnesses and give approval to the work of your fathers; for they put them to death and you make their last resting-places.
For this reason the wisdom of God has said, I will send them prophets and teachers, and to some of them they will give death and cruel pains;
So that punishment may come on this generation for the blood of all the prophets which was given from the earliest days;
From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who was put to death between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I say to you, It will come on this generation.
A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you did not go in yourselves, and you got in the way of those who were going in.
And when he had come out of that place, the scribes and the Pharisees came round him angrily, questioning him about more things;
And watching him, for a chance to get something from his words which might be used against him.
— Luke 11:19-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But 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. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When 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. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then 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. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. ”
And others, testing him, were looking for a sign from heaven from him.
But he, having knowledge of their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom in which there is division is made waste; and a house in which there is division comes to destruction.
If, then, Satan is at war with himself, how will he keep his kingdom? because you say that I send evil spirits out of men by the help of Beelzebul.
And if I, by Beelzebul, send out evil spirits, by whose help do your sons send them out? so let them be your judges.
But if I, by the finger of God, send out evil spirits, then the kingdom of God has overtaken you.
When the strong man armed keeps watch over his house, then his goods are safe:
But when one who is stronger makes an attack on him and overcomes him, he takes away his instruments of war, in which he had put his faith, and makes division of his goods.
He who is not with me is against me, and he who will not give me help in getting people together is driving them away.
The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of a man, goes through dry places, looking for rest; and when he does not get it, he says, I will go back to my house from which I came.
And when he comes, he sees that it has been made fair and clean.
Then he goes and gets seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they go in, and take their places there: and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.
And it came about that when he said these things, a certain woman among the people said in a loud voice, Happy is the body which gave you birth, and the breasts from which you took milk.
But he said, More happy are they who give hearing to the word of God and keep it.
And when a great number of people came together to him, he said, This generation is an evil generation: it is looking for a sign and no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of man be to this generation.
The queen of the South will come up on the day of judging and give her decision against the men of this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now something greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: for they were turned away from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; but now something greater than Jonah is here.
No man, when the light has been lighted, puts it in a secret place, or under a vessel, but on its table, so that those who come in may see the light.
The light of the body is the eye: when your eye is true, all your body is full of light; but when it is evil, your body is dark.
So take care that the light which is in you is not dark.
If, then, all your body is light, with no part of it dark, it will be completely full of light, as when a flame with its bright shining gives you light.
Now, while he was talking, a Pharisee made a request that he would come to a meal with him; and he went in and took his seat at the meal.
And when the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised because he came to the meal without first washing himself.
And the Lord said to him, You Pharisees make the outside of the cup and the plate clean; but inside you are thieves and full of evil.
O you foolish ones! did not he who made the outside in the same way make the inside?
But if you give to the poor such things as you are able, then all things are clean to you.
But a curse is on you, Pharisees! for you make men give a tenth of every sort of plant, and give no thought to right and the love of God; but it is right for you to do these things, and not let the others be undone.
A curse is on you, Pharisees! for your desires are for the most important seats in the Synagogues and for words of respect said to you in the market-place.
A curse is on you! for you are like the resting-places of dead men, which are not seen, and men go walking over them without knowledge of it.
And one of the teachers of the law, answering, said to him, Master, in saying this, you give a bad name to us as to them.
And he said, A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for while other men are crushed under the weight of the rules you make for them, you yourselves do not put so much as one finger to them.
A curse is on you! for you make resting-places for the bodies of the prophets, but your fathers put them to death.
So you are witnesses and give approval to the work of your fathers; for they put them to death and you make their last resting-places.
For this reason the wisdom of God has said, I will send them prophets and teachers, and to some of them they will give death and cruel pains;
So that punishment may come on this generation for the blood of all the prophets which was given from the earliest days;
From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who was put to death between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I say to you, It will come on this generation.
A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you did not go in yourselves, and you got in the way of those who were going in.
And when he had come out of that place, the scribes and the Pharisees came round him angrily, questioning him about more things;
And watching him, for a chance to get something from his words which might be used against him.