Matius 12:22-24

Jesus and Beelzebul

12:22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus ¹  healed him so that he could speak and see. ²  12:23 All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?” 12:24 But when the Pharisees ³  heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, ⁴  the ruler ⁵  of demons!”

[12:22]  ¹ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:22]  ² tn Grk “demoniac, and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.”

[12:24]  ³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[12:24]  ⁴ tn Grk “except by Beelzebul.”

[12:24]  sn Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So some people recognized Jesus’ work as supernatural, but called it diabolical.

[12:24]  ⁵ tn Or “prince.”